Courtesy: World Aquatics
Following a successful inaugural year of water polo scholarships through the AQUA Scholarship Program, World Aquatics is inviting applications from European clubs to serve as hosts for the 2025 edition.
The program offers first or second division water polo clubs in Europe the opportunity to host scholarship players for one season, providing an enriching experience both for the participating athletes, the clubs and the wider water polo community.
The World Aquatics Scholarship Program has provided financial and technical assistance to talented athletes without favourable conditions to train locally since 2014. The program achieved another important milestone in 2024 as six water polo athletes were included for the first time, being placed in three top-tier European clubs: ANC Glyfada (Greece), CN Catalunya (Spain), and CN Rubí (Spain).
This initiative provides players with an exciting opportunity to engage in high-level competition and develop professionally, while also encouraging the exchange of playing techniques and further promoting an inclusive global water polo community.
Felipe Perrone is one of the greatest water polo players of his generation. Born in Rio de Janeiro, he played for clubs across Europe throughout his glittering career, which included six World Aquatics Championships medals won with Spain. He also represented Spain at the Olympic Games Beijing 2008, London 2012, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, and played for Brazil between 2014 and 2016 including their home Olympic Games at Rio 2016.
World Aquatics sat down with Perrone to hear his thoughts on the importance of the scholarship program for the global water polo community.
Strengthening the water polo community
“I think that the concept and the idea of the program is really beautiful to see. World Aquatics, the athletes, the clubs and all the community are together on this and participating in this program”
“If I was one of those athletes, I would love to participate in it, and if I was the clubs I would love to be part of it because I think that community feeling is beautiful. I think the biggest strength of this sport is that we are not a big community, but we are a strong community and this program shows that,” Perrone said.
Developing clubs and athletes
Perrone believes the scholarship program helps talented athletes from around the world to fulfil their potential, providing them with elite-level training and competition, and provides clubs with the opportunity to experience other cultures and different ways of playing.
“It’s important that they [scholarship holders] can keep a high-level practice all year around. I think this is really the difference if you have the opportunity to play for a European club,” he said.
“I myself was born in Brazil and I came with 15 or 16 years old, so I could see how it is important that you are exposed to the high-level competition all year around with high-level training almost two times per day.
“It is a unique sport, a difficult sport, but if you have those conditions to develop your game, I think those athletes will develop a lot and bring this back to their country.”
Advancing the global growth of water polo
Perrone also believes the World Aquatics Scholarship Program for water polo will help to continue the impressive global growth of the sport, and underlines that all stakeholders have a role to play – World Aquatics, National Federations, clubs and athletes.
“The sport will not change from yesterday to tomorrow, it takes time. I think we are growing but of course we need initiatives like this, and we need more active involvement of all the community to make things happen,” he said.
“I think this is another example of some tools to make things happen and to change the sport. I think everyone can make a difference and this program is one of the opportunities to contribute to improving the sport and making it more global.”
First and second division clubs across Europe recognised for their strong reputation and ethical standards are invited to apply to host one or two scholarship holders for 2025-2026.
The deadline for applications from clubs is 23 March 2025.
Further information on the application process can be found here.
