# FINA Water Polo World League

The FINA Water Polo World League was an international water polo league organized by FINA, which played annually, typically from winter through to June. League play featured continental tournaments for men and women, from which the top teams emerged to play in the championship tournament (the "Super Final") where the league champion team is crowned.
Men's league play began in 2002, to capitalize on increased worldwide popularity of water polo created by the 2000 Olympic Games, especially in Europe, North America and Australia. The women’s league was added in 2004, based on growing interest in women's play.
In October 2022, FINA announced that the tournament would be replaced with the FINA Water Polo World Cup and FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup from 2023 on.

## Play format

Matches consisted of four eight-minute quarters, with a five-minute half-time break. Tie games were decided by an immediate penalty shootout. The game venues had television requirements to bring the sport to the biggest audience possible. Rule changes were made to provide more spectacular play and yield higher scores.
Preliminary rounds of play were organized by continent: Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe. The structure of continental play varied within the league. For example, for 2012, the Americas had a single tournament for each sex, Asia/Oceania has two tournaments for each sex on consecutive weekends, and Europe has six weekends of play for men and two for women.

## Men
### Medal table

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Serbia | 10 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
| 2 | Montenegro | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 3 | Hungary | 2 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
| 4 | Serbia and Montenegro | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | Croatia | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| 6 | Italy | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 7 | Russia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | United States | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 9 | Spain | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 10 | Greece | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 11 | Australia | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 12 | Brazil | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | Germany | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (13 entries) | Totals (13 entries) | 20 | 20 | 20 | 60 |
* ^[a] matches played from Serbia and Montenegro are separated from Serbia.

### Participation details
#### Legend

* 1st – Champions
* 2nd – Runners-up
* 3rd – Third place
* 4th – Fourth place
* QF – Quarterfinals
* × — Did not enter qualifications
* • — Did not qualify for the final tournament
* •• — Qualified but withdrew
* – Hosts
* $^†$ – Defunct team
Africa – CANA (6 teams) :
| Men's team | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2022 | YQ / YP |
| Algeria | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 0/3 |
| Egypt | × | × | × | × | × | × | 10th | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 1/1 |
| Libya | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 0/1 |
| Morocco | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 0/3 |
| South Africa | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 8th | 8th | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | 2/3 |
| Tunisia | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | • | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 0/2 |
| Americas – ASUA (7 teams) ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Argentina | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | • | • | × | • | 0/4 |
| Brazil | • | • | • | • | • | × | × | × | • | × | 8th | 8th | 7th | 3rd | 7th | × | × | × | × | •• | 6/12 |
| Canada | × | × | × | • | • | 7th | 6th | × | × | 7th | • | • | 6th | • | × | × | • | 8th | × | 8th | 6/12 |
| Colombia | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | 0/1 |
| Mexico | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 0/1 |
| Puerto Rico | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 0/1 |
| United States | • | 3rd | 6th | • | 5th | 5th | 2nd | 4th | 5th | 4th | 4th | 4th | 5th | 4th | 2nd | 4th | 7th | × | 2nd | 2nd | 17/19 |
| Venezuela | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 0/1 |
| Asia – AASF (5 teams) ||||||||||||||||||||||
| China | × | × | × | • | • | 8th | 9th | × | 7th | 8th | 6th | 6th | 8th | 8th | 8th | • | • | • | × | × | 9/14 |
| Iran | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 0/3 |
| Japan | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | 7th | • | • | • | 7th | • | • | 6th | 8th | 4th | 6th | 5th | × | 7/15 |
| Kazakhstan | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | 5th | × | • | • | • | 6th | 8th | 7th | 6th | × | 5/10 |
| Saudi Arabia | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | × | 0/1 |
| Europe – LEN (20 teams) ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Croatia | • | × | × | 4th | • | • | • | 2nd | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | • | • | 2nd | • | 3rd | 5th | 2nd | • | • | 9/18 |
| France | × | × | × | × | 6th | × | × | • | • | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | × | • | 7th | 4th | 3/9 |
| Georgia | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | × | × | 8th | × | 1/3 |
| Germany | × | × | × | 3rd | • | 4th | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | × | • | • | • | × | • | 2/14 |
| Great Britain | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 0/1 |
| Greece | 4th | 5th | 3rd | 5th | 3rd | • | 8th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 3rd | • | × | • | 3rd | • | 8/19 |
| Hungary | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 2nd | × | 2nd | × | × | × | × | × | 2nd | 2nd | 6th | • | × | 2nd | 5th | • | • | 10/13 |
| Italy | • | 2nd | 4th | • | • | • | 7th | 5th | • | 2nd | 3rd | • | • | 7th | 4th | 2nd | × | • | 4th | 1st | 11/19 |
| Malta | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | 0/1 |
| Montenegro | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | • | 4th | 1st | 2nd | 5th | × | 3rd | 3rd | • | • | × | 1st | • | 1st | 6th | 9/13 |
| Netherlands | × | 6th | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | × | 1/6 |
| North Macedonia | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 0/3 |
| Romania | × | × | × | • | • | 6th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | × | • | 1/16 |
| Russia | 1st | × | × | 6th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 5th | • | • | • | 5th | • | • | • | DQ | 4/17 |
| Serbia | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 1st | × | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | • | 1st | • | 5th | 12/14 |
| Serbia and Montenegro$^†$ | × | 4th | 2nd | 1st | 1st | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | 4/4 |
| Slovakia | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | × | • | × | × | × | • | 0/4 |
| Spain | 2nd | × | 5th | • | 2nd | • | 5th | • | 6th | • | 2nd | • | × | • | • | × | 3rd | 4th | • | 3rd | 9/17 |
| Turkey | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | × | • | • | × | × | × | × | × | 0/6 |
| Ukraine | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | × | 0/2 |
| Oceania – OSA (2 teams) ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australia | × | • | • | • | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 6th | 4th | 6th | 7th | × | 4th | 5th | 5th | 7th | 6th | 3rd | × | 7th | 14/17 |
| New Zealand | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | × | • | × | × | × | • | • | • | × | × | 0/8 |
| Total teams | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |

### Performance by team

After 2015 World League
| National team | Total* | Total* | Total* | Total* | Total* | | Super Final | Super Final | Super Final | Super Final | Super Final | Super Final | Super Final |
| National team | App | W% | Pld | W** | L** | A% | App | F4 | W% | Pld | W** | L** |
| Algeria | 3 | 0.533 | 15 | 8 | 7 | | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Argentina | 1 | 0.000 | 6 | 0 | 6 | | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Australia | 12 | 0.645 | 141 | 91 | 50 | | 0.750 | 9 | 5 | 0.418 | 55 | 23 | 32 |
| Brazil | 10 | 0.230 | 87 | 20 | 67 | | 0.400 | 4 | 1 | 0.250 | 24 | 6 | 18 |
| Canada | 9 | 0.288 | 66 | 19 | 47 | | 0.444 | 4 | 0 | 0.292 | 24 | 7 | 17 |
| China | 10 | 0.368 | 114 | 42 | 72 | | 0.800 | 8 | 0 | 0.130 | 46 | 6 | 40 |
| Croatia | 12 | 0.645 | 121 | 78 | 43 | | 0.500 | 6 | 6 | 0.706 | 34 | 24 | 10 |
| Egypt | 1 | 0.429 | 7 | 3 | 4 | | 1.000 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| France | 4 | 0.222 | 36 | 8 | 28 | | 0.250 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Germany | 10 | 0.333 | 75 | 25 | 50 | | 0.200 | 2 | 2 | 0.625 | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| Great Britain | 1 | 0.000 | 4 | 0 | 4 | | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Greece | 14 | 0.460 | 126 | 58 | 68 | | 0.429 | 6 | 3 | 0.346 | 26 | 9 | 17 |
| Hungary | 8 | 0.825 | 97 | 80 | 17 | | 1.000 | 8 | 7 | 0.694 | 36 | 25 | 11 |
| Iran | 3 | 0.083 | 24 | 2 | 22 | | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Italy | 14 | 0.598 | 132 | 79 | 53 | | 0.500 | 7 | 4 | 0.559 | 34 | 19 | 15 |
| Japan | 10 | 0.387 | 75 | 29 | 46 | | 0.200 | 2 | 0 | 0.250 | 12 | 3 | 9 |
| Kazakhstan | 5 | 0.293 | 41 | 12 | 29 | | 0.200 | 1 | 0 | 0.333 | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| Libya | 1 | 0.000 | 6 | 0 | 6 | | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| North Macedonia | 3 | 0.188 | 16 | 3 | 13 | | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mexico | 1 | 0.333 | 3 | 1 | 2 | | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Montenegro | 8 | 0.767 | 86 | 66 | 20 | | 0.750 | 6 | 5 | 0.694 | 36 | 25 | 11 |
| Morocco | 3 | 0.200 | 15 | 3 | 12 | | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Netherlands | 2 | 0.091 | 11 | 1 | 10 | | 0.500 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| New Zealand | 5 | 0.111 | 36 | 4 | 32 | | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Puerto Rico | 1 | 0.000 | 3 | 0 | 3 | | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Romania | 11 | 0.413 | 75 | 31 | 44 | | 0.091 | 1 | 0 | 0.500 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Russia | 12 | 0.421 | 95 | 40 | 55 | | 0.250 | 3 | 1 | 0.500 | 14 | 7 | 7 |
| Serbia*** | 12 | 0.895 | 143 | 128 | 15 | | 1.000 | 12 | 12 | 0.937 | 63 | 59 | 4 |
| Slovakia | 2 | 0.083 | 12 | 1 | 11 | | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| South Africa | 2 | 0.500 | 24 | 12 | 12 | | 1.000 | 2 | 0 | 0.000 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Spain | 12 | 0.581 | 124 | 72 | 52 | | 0.500 | 6 | 3 | 0.567 | 30 | 17 | 13 |
| Tunisia | 2 | 0.444 | 9 | 4 | 5 | | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey | 5 | 0.031 | 32 | 1 | 31 | | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| United States | 14 | 0.572 | 138 | 79 | 59 | | 0.857 | 12 | 7 | 0.485 | 66 | 32 | 34 |
| Venezuela | 1 | 0.000 | 4 | 0 | 4 | | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* *Since 2007 Preliminary Round is played among teams from the same regions (Asia/Oceania, Americas or Asia/Oceania/Americas, Africa and Europe); Super Final statistic included
* **Wins/Defeats after penalty shootout counted as wins/defeats.
* ***Serbia's total includes appearances as Serbia and Montenegro.

## Women
### Medal standings

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | United States | 14 | 1 | 2 | 17 |
| 2 | Russia | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| 3 | Spain | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | Greece | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | China | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | Australia | 0 | 4 | 6 | 10 |
| 7 | Italy | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 8 | Hungary | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 9 | Canada | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Netherlands | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Totals (10 entries) | Totals (10 entries) | 18 | 18 | 18 | 54 |

### Participation details
#### Legend

* 1st – Champions
* 2nd – Runners-up
* 3rd – Third place
* 4th – Fourth place
* QF – Quarterfinals
* × — Did not enter qualifications
* • — Did not qualify for the final tournament
* •• — Qualified but withdrew
* – Hosts
Africa – CANA (1 team) :
| Women's team | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | YQ / YP |
| South Africa | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | 0/3 |
| Americas – ASUA (5 teams) ||||||||||||||||||||
| Women's team | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | YQ / YP |
| Argentina | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | 0/1 |
| Brazil | × | • | • | × | × | × | • | × | • | × | 8th | 8th | 8th | × | × | × | × | •• | 4/7 |
| Canada | 5th | 6th | 6th | 4th | 4th | 2nd | 8th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 6th | 6th | 7th | 2nd | 4th | 7th | 4th | 7th | 18/18 |
| Colombia | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | 0/1 |
| Cuba | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | 0/1 |
| Puerto Rico | × | × | × | • | × | × | • | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 0/2 |
| United States | 1st | 5th | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 18/18 |
| Venezuela | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 0/1 |
| Asia – AASF (3 teams) ||||||||||||||||||||
| Women's team | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | YQ / YP |
| China | × | × | • | 6th | 5th | 5th | 5th | 4th | 4th | 1st | 4th | 4th | 4th | 6th | 6th | 8th | × | × | 13/14 |
| Japan | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 8th | 8th | • | 7th | × | 3/14 |
| Kazakhstan | 8th | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | × | × | • | • | × | • | • | • | 8th | × | 2/8 |
| Europe – LEN (10 teams) ||||||||||||||||||||
| Women's team | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | YQ / YP |
| France | × | • | • | × | × | • | • | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | × | • | • | • | 0/10 |
| Germany | × | • | • | • | × | • | • | • | 6th | × | × | • | • | × | × | × | × | × | 1/9 |
| Great Britain | × | × | × | × | × | • | • | • | • | × | • | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 0/5 |
| Greece | 6th | 1st | • | 3rd | • | 7th | 3rd | 7th | 3rd | • | • | • | • | • | × | • | 6th | • | 9/16 |
| Hungary | 2nd | 4th | × | • | × | × | 6th | • | • | 4th | • | • | • | 4th | • | 6th | 2nd | 2nd | 8/15 |
| Israel | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | • | × | • | 0/1 |
| Italy | 3rd | 8th | 2nd | × | • | 8th | • | 2nd | 8th | 6th | 2nd | 7th | 5th | • | × | 2nd | • | 5th | 12/16 |
| Netherlands | × | 7th | 5th | • | × | × | 7th | × | • | • | × | 3rd | • | 5th | 2nd | 4th | • | 4th | 8/13 |
| Russia | 4th | 2nd | 3rd | • | 1st | 6th | 4th | 5th | 5th | 2nd | 7th | 5th | 6th | 3rd | 3rd | 3rd | 3rd | DQ | 16/17 |
| Spain | × | • | • | 5th | 6th | 4th | • | 8th | • | 5th | 5th | • | 2nd | × | 5th | • | 5th | 1st | 10/16 |
| Oceania – OSA (2 teams) ||||||||||||||||||||
| Women's team | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | YQ / YP |
| Australia | 7th | 3rd | 4th | 2nd | 3rd | 3rd | 2nd | 3rd | 2nd | 7th | 3rd | 2nd | 3rd | 7th | 7th | 5th | × | 6th | 17/17 |
| New Zealand | × | × | • | • | × | • | × | • | × | • | × | • | × | × | • | • | × | 8th | 1/9 |
| Total teams | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |