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12.10.2025
Belgrade, 10/12/2025 - One month remains until the European Water Polo Championship for men in Belgrade, one of the most important sports events on the continent. The final preparations for a real sports spectacle are already well underway, and the reason for the unforgettable atmosphere in the Belgrade Arena, the largest hall in the Balkans, is the great jubilee. The European Water Polo Championship is celebrating its centenary, as the first competition was held in 1926 in Budapest, then as part of the "big championships", which are held together with swimming and diving competitions. To date, 36 editions have been held in the men's competition, and expectations for the 37th edition in Belgrade are high, given that in 2016, Belgrade recorded a world record attendance of 18,473 spectators at the then called Kombank Arena after the final between Serbia and Montenegro, when Serbia won its third consecutive European Championship title.
Secure your tickets in time!
Tickets for the long-awaited European Championship are on sale at the Tickets sales network and online at https://tickets.rs/tour/european_aquatics_water_polo_championship_men_belgrade_2026_2321 .
Ticket prices for the group stage, from the 1st to the 6th day of the competition, range from 700 to 3000 dinars for two games. For 7th, 8th and the 9th day of the competition, tickets are on sale at the price of 700, 900, 1200, 1500, 1900 and 3000 dinars, depending on the seat position, while the prices also apply to 2 or 3 games per session. Ticket prices for 3 games per session for the 10th, 11th and 12th competition days range from 900 to 3500 dinars, and for the 13th competition day, which includes 2 games each, from 700 to 3000 dinars. On the 14th day, the semi-final matches will be held, and ticket prices will range from 1700 to 6000 dinars. On the 15th day of the competition, a match for third place and the final are expected, and tickets can be obtained at prices from 3000 to 8000 dinars. The matches are arranged by sessions, so one price is valid for several matches depending on the selected session.
16 national teams will compete for the title of European champion at the 37th championship, including, in addition to Serbia, Spain, Croatia, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Georgia, Italy, Hungary, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, France, Slovenia, Turkey, Malta and Israel. The audience will have the opportunity to enjoy the competition of the best national teams, and the broader list of the Serbian national team is already known.
The selector of our national team, Uroš Stevanović, determined a wider list of candidates who already started preparations for the European Championship on December 5 in Kragujevac. The list includes: Radoslav Filipović, Vladimir Mišović, Milan Glušac, Radosav Virijević, Mihajlo Gošić, Nikola Murišić, Nemanja Vico, Đorđe Lazić, Sava Ranđelović, Nikola Jakšić, Radomir Drašović, Dušan Trtović, Petar Jakšić, Luka Pljevančić, Miloš Ćuk, Strahinja Rašović, Nikola Lukić, Vasilije Martinović, Nikola Dedović, Dušan Mandić, Viktor Rašović, Vuk Milojević and Luka Gladović.
From December 10 to 12, the Romanian team will be the guest of the joint preparations, and two days later our water polo players will travel to Kranj, where the Serbian national team will stay until December 24.
From December 26 to 29, joint preparations with the Greeks will be held in Athens with the official match on December 28, and on the first day of the New Year, they will travel to Trebinje for the final preparations. A strong tournament will be organized where, in addition to Serbia, Greece, Italy, Hungary, France and Spain will play.
The new format for the men's tournament will begin with a group stage with four groups of four teams each. The groups will consist of two selections that finished among the eight best in 2024 and two teams that successfully went through the qualifications. Each team will play each opponent in their group, with one day of rest between games. After the group stage, the three most successful teams from each group go to the next stage, so the best 12 teams will form two new groups of six teams each - Group E (teams from groups A and C) and Group F (teams from groups B and D). All points won during the first phase will be transferred to the second phase, where each team will play three more games against new opponents, before the knockout phase of the competition will follow.
The two best teams in both groups will play in the semi-finals, while the others will fight for the fifth to 12th place. The teams that finished the competition in the first phase will also fight among themselves for the 13th to 16th place.
The expert committee will also select the seven best players from the entire tournament for special recognition. In addition to prestigious trophies and individual awards, MVP awards will be presented after each semifinal, bronze medal match and grand final.
Serbia is the country of water polo, a sport in which our national team members have shown not only dominance, but also the character of winners for years. The golden generation brought our country the most significant awards - from winning Olympic gold (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024), through world and European titles, all the way to the through world and European titles, all the way to the trophy in the World League. There are few sports in which one country can boast of such continuity of success, and it is water polo that gives Serbia that shine.
It is expected that Belgrade will become the European capital of water polo in January 2026 when thousands of fans from all over the continent will come to support their national teams, while the domestic audience, traditionally loyal and passionate, will once again show that it knows how to create an atmosphere worthy of a champion.
The championship will be an opportunity not only to enjoy the skills of the best European water polo players, but also to confirm once again why Serbia is called the "land of water polo". Our "dolphins" enter this competition with a binding tradition - as a national team that has brought medals for years and is synonymous with success, discipline and sporting courage.
From January 10 to 25, Serbia will once again be the center of the water polo world, and the Belgrade Arena will be the place where new history is being written.
Tickets are on sale at the Tickets sales network and online at tickets.rs .
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Photo by S Sandić
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