2025 World Championships – Water Polo
- July 11-24, 2025
- OSBC Aquatic Centre, Singapore Sports Hub, Singapore
- Tournament Central
- 2024 Olympic Champions: Spain (women), Serbia (men)
- 2024 World Champions: United States (women), Croatia (men)
- 2025 World Cup Champions: Greece (women), Spain (men)
Greece defeated Hungary in the women’s water polo tournament final to win gold, marking the team’s first medal in 14 years.
Hungary walks away with their 3rd World Championships silver medal in four years. They also took silver in Doha last year as well as in Budapest in 2022.
In the bronze medal match, Spain bested the United States to round out the all-European podium.
The gold medal match was in Greece’s control from nearly the start. They shot out to a 3-1 lead at the first quarter and 8-4 at halftime thanks to an exceptional run of goals from Foteini Tricha and Eleni Xenaki. Both countries netted another two points each in the third quarter, making the score 10-6 in Greece’s favor. Greece scored another two points early in the fourth quarter, nearly solidifying their victory. Hungary didn’t go down without a fight, though, as they scored all three of the match’s final points to bring the score 12-9.
Hungary’s Rita Keszthelyi won most valuable player of the tournament. The other three tournament awards all went to Greek athletes: Xenaki won player of the final, Tricha won highest goals scorer with a total of 25, and Ioanna Stamatopoulou won best goalkeeper.
This is Greece’s best showing at a major tournament since at least the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai, where they also captured gold. Since then, they have not earned an Olympic or World Championship medal, though they came close with a fourth place finish in Doha last year. 2025 marks a historic year for the team between this win and their first World Cup Gold, also against Hungary, this spring.
Bronze Medal Match
For the second World Championships in a row, Spain leaves with a bronze medal. Captain Anni Espar got the ball rolling in Spain’s favor at the start with the first point, leading her team to a 4-2 lead for the first quarter. The reigning Olympic Champions built that lead in the second quarter, capping off the first half at 7-4. Like Hungary in the gold medal match, the Americans took control in the end, but it wasn’t enough to overcome their opponent’s lead. The final score stood at Spain 13 – U.S. 12. The United States’ top scorer was Emma Lineback with five points. Espar, meanwhile, netted four for Spain.
Final Team Rankings
- Greece
- Hungary
- Spain
- United States of America
- Netherlands
- Australia
- Italy
- Japan
- China
- New Zealand
- Great Britain
- France
- Croatia
- Argentina
- South Africa
- Singapore
