Argentina will be in the finals of the Water Polo World Cup

After the Pan American Water Polo Championships in Boro, Brazil, the Albiceleste team seemed to be left out of the World Cup finals: only the top two teams were guaranteed a spot, and Argentina finished third in the men’s and women’s tournaments.

However, expectations remained predictable: 24 hours after the withdrawal of both the 2023 World Cup finals in Fukuoka, Brazil officially announced its resignation, through the Brazilian Aquatics Confederation.

And on this day, the replacement from the same continent for the Water Polo World Cup that will be held from July 16 to 29 in the World Water Sports Championships, where 16 teams in each branch compete for the world title, has become official.

This will be the second time that the Argentine men’s and women’s water polo teams will participate in the World Water Sports Championships. The men previously qualified for the 2015 Kazan edition, and finished 16th. The women played at last year’s World Championships in Budapest, placing 12th.

Argentina joins the United States and Canada in representing their continental region at this year’s World Aquatics Championships. The U.S. women gained automatic entry as defending world champions, while the U.S. men earned an automatic qualification spot by finishing second at the 2022 Aquatic Super Cup Finals. Canada booked its team tickets to Fukuoka by winning the men’s and women’s continental qualifying tournaments in Bauru.

Now in Fukuoka, in the men’s tournament, Argentina will start in Group C, competing against Croatia, Hungary and host country Japan. In the women’s tournament, Argentina will play in Group C against Greece, Italy and South Africa.