THE WORLD UNDER-18 MEN'S WATER POLO CHAMPIONSHIP BEGINS TOMORROW

The World Under-18 Men's Water Polo Championship will take place at the Rio Maior Sports Centre from June 27 to July 4, 2026.

The Rio Maior Olympic Swimming Pool will host the largest sporting event ever held in Rio Maior, bringing together more than 400 young athletes from around the world, along with coaching staff, officials, and international organizing teams. The municipality's entire hotel capacity is fully booked, with some delegations staying in neighboring municipalities.

Twenty national teams will compete:
Europe: Hungary (World Champions), Portugal, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Spain, Greece, Italy, and Turkey;
Asia: China, Hong Kong, and Singapore;
Africa: South Africa;
Americas: United States, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and Canada;
Oceania: New Zealand and Australia.

The opening match is scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday the 27th, at 9:00 a.m., between Colombia and New Zealand, while Portugal will make its tournament debut against Canada the following Sunday at 7:30 p.m. The finals will be played on the afternoon of July 4. Admission is free for the public.

The event was officially presented this afternoon at the Albino Maria Auditorium of the Sports Centre, attended by Rio Maior City Council Councillor Leonor Fragoso, Desmor Chairman Miguel Pacheco, World Aquatics Director Gabor Karpaci, Portuguese Swimming Federation President Miguel Arrobas, National Team Head Coach Fernando Leite, team captain José Jordão, as well as Hungary's Head Coach Robert Kovacs and team captain Benedek Rabb.

In his remarks, Gabor Karpaci highlighted the "enormous potential that the Rio Maior Sports Centre offers for organizing major sporting events such as this one." Miguel Pacheco emphasized that "the fact that the World Championship is being held in Rio Maior this year is a direct result of the highly successful European Championship hosted here last year." He also pointed out a significant milestone: "In 2025, the Rio Maior Sports Centre welcomed 175 training camps involving national and international teams from a wide range of sports."


Remember that, in August 2025, Rio Maior hosted the Under-18 European Championship, where the Israeli national team was crowned champion and Portugal achieved a historic 4th place. The event brought around 300 participants to the city, involving 13 national teams, including athletes, coaching staff, and organizers, generating a significant impact on the local economy, particularly in the hotel and restaurant sectors, with accommodation at the Rio Maior Sports Centre and various hotels across the region.

The World Championship is 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.

This event reinforces Rio Maior's position as a leading international destination for major high-performance sporting competitions.

More information about the event and match schedules at: www.worldaquatics.com