CROATIA WINS THE MEN'S UNDER-18 WATER POLO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN RIO MAIOR

The Men's Under-18 Water Polo World Championship concluded with Croatia's victory after taking place at the Rio Maior Sports Centre from June 27 to July 4, 2026.

The final, played on Saturday, July 4, saw Croatia face the United States of America in a closely contested match that ended in a 14–14 draw. The world title was ultimately decided by a penalty shootout, with the Croatian team emerging victorious.

Over the course of ten days, the Rio Maior Olympic Swimming Pool hosted the largest sporting event ever held in the municipality, bringing together more than 400 young athletes representing 20 national teams from all five continents. The competition also involved around 120 coaches, officials, and members of the national and international organizing bodies.

It is estimated that, including family members and supporters of the participating teams, the event involved around 3,000 people throughout its duration.

The scale of the event was also reflected in the region's accommodation capacity, with hotels in the municipality virtually fully booked and several delegations staying in neighboring municipalities.

The awards ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Rio Maior, Filipe Santana Dias, the Deputy Mayor, João Lopes Candoso, the Chairman of the Board of Desmor, Miguel Pacheco, the President of the Portuguese Swimming Federation, Miguel Arrobas, and the President of the Santarém District Swimming Association, João Loureiro.

The Men's Under-18 Water Polo World Championship was organized by World Aquatics and the Portuguese Swimming Federation, with the support of the Municipality of Rio Maior, Desmor, and the Santarém District Swimming Association.

The staging of this competition once again reinforced Rio Maior's position as a leading international destination for hosting major high-performance sporting events.

More information and results are available at www.worldaquatics.com