In Belgrade 2026, the excitement is palpable as the European Water Polo Championships enter Day 5, with thrilling matchups scheduled for today, January 14. Let’s dive into what to expect from each game!
Group A
12:45 Malta vs. Hungary
Imagine a scenario where Malta pulls off an upset victory against Hungary. While that may seem unlikely, it wouldn’t change the current standings of the teams—Hungary has already claimed the top position in Group A, while Malta remains firmly at fourth place.
The Hungarian team comes into this match on the heels of two hard-fought wins over France and Montenegro. On paper, they are poised to face what might be their easiest challenge so far in this tournament. Their previous encounter with Malta during the European Championships in Budapest in 2020 ended in a lopsided 26-0 defeat for Malta as Hungary aimed for the best goal difference before advancing. This year, Hungary is riding high after securing the group lead and ultimately winning the championship in 2020. Notably, in their prior World League matches in 2018/19, Hungary also dominated Malta, claiming victories of 24-8 each time.
Here’s an interesting fact: Long before these recent meetings, the two teams faced off during the 1936 Olympics. Hungary won decisively with a score of 12-0, but what made this match memorable was the sportsmanship displayed by the Hungarian team. When a Maltese player got injured and had to exit the pool—at a time when substitutions were not allowed—the Hungarians chose to send one of their own players out as well, ensuring they played six against six for the remainder of the match.
Group C
15:15 Netherlands vs. Spain
Spain finds itself under pressure to secure points after a dramatic loss to Serbia on Monday, while the Dutch are coming off a strong performance demonstrated on opening day, where they narrowly lost to Serbia in a penalty shootout and managed to defeat Croatia in their preparations in Rotterdam.
Ten years earlier, Spain triumphed over the Netherlands with a commanding score of 15-4 right here at the Belgrade Arena. However, just three months later, the tables turned shockingly as the Dutch took down Spain 7-5 in the Olympic qualification tournament. Interestingly, the subsequent four encounters favored Spain, who secured significant victories in the World League with scores of 9-5, 12-4, 13-7, and 14-7. Their last matchup at the 2022 Europeans was particularly thrilling, with Spain edging out a win at 11-10 amidst a late surge from the Dutch.
However, Spain will have to navigate this match without their star player, Alvaro Granados, who is serving a one-game suspension after receiving a red card in the closing moments of the match against Serbia.
Fun fact: Since the European Championships in Barcelona back in 2018, the recent 11-12 loss to Serbia was only Spain's second defeat in regular time across five editions of the championships. They have faced shootout losses, but only Hungary was able to defeat them in a regulation match during the 2022 semifinals, while Serbia’s Viktor Rasovic netted a late winner just a few days ago.
Group A
18:00 France vs. Montenegro
This match holds significant stakes as both teams vie for second place in Group A and the crucial three points that come with it for the next round.
Montenegro has a commanding lead in the head-to-head record, holding an impressive 18-1 advantage over France. The two teams faced off on the opening day of the 2024 Europeans in Dubrovnik, where they finished tied at 10-10, only for Montenegro to claim victory in a nail-biting shootout, winning 10-9. In their previous encounters, Montenegro consistently came out on top with victories of 8-6 in 2018 and 11-6 in 2016.
France's only triumph against Montenegro occurred in 2022 when they stunned their rivals with a 12-9 win during the World League quarter-finals. Their last meeting was in the World Cup Division One tournament in Otopeni, where Montenegro came out on top once again, winning 18-13.
An intriguing tidbit: Petar Tesanovic, the goalkeeper from Montenegro, is quite familiar with the French players, particularly his Marseille teammates who play for the French national team (Bouet, Canovas, Marion-Vernoux, Vernoux). Additionally, center-forward Vladan Spaic could provide valuable insights into the French squad's strategies, given his important role at Marseille, which boasts players across six different national teams, including France, Montenegro, Hungary, Spain, Greece, and the Netherlands.
Group C
20:30 Israel vs. Serbia
Serbia enters this match with renewed confidence after defeating reigning world champions and title-holders Spain just two days following a challenging game against the Netherlands. A victory over Israel would allow the Serbs to kick off the next phase with a total of five points.
So far, Serbia has faced Israel twice in the last two European Championships, winning comfortably with scores of 18-3 in 2022 and 22-1 in 2024.
However, Serbia will be without Dusan Mandic for their next two games due to a suspension following a red card received against Spain.
Fun fact: Interestingly, the opening match for Serbia in this tournament marks the first time they have not won in regular time at the European Championships held in Belgrade. In their previous two appearances in 2006 and 2016, they maintained perfect records with seven wins in a row. Despite the recent disallowed goal against the Dutch, they continue their impressive unbeaten streak on home turf.
Catch all the action live from Belgrade through Eurovision Sport. For those interested in the complete schedule, results, and standings from the European Championships, you can find that information on their official site. If you want to be part of the excitement, tickets for all matches are available online. Stay updated with the latest news and live coverage by following the European Aquatics Water Polo social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram.
