# FINA Water Polo World Cup

The FINA Men's Water Polo World Cup is an international water polo tournament, organized by FINA and featuring eight men's national teams. It was established in 1979, initially taking place on odd years. Since 2002 it is held every four years, in the even-year between Olympics.
From 2023 on, the tournament will be replacing the FINA Water Polo World League.

## Editions

| Year | Host | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
| 1979 | Belgrade & Rijeka, Yugoslavia | Hungary | United States | Yugoslavia |
| 1981 | Long Beach, USA | Soviet Union | Yugoslavia | Cuba |
| 1983 | Malibu, USA | Soviet Union | West Germany | Italy |
| 1985 | Duisburg, West Germany | West Germany | United States | Spain |
| 1987 | Thessaloniki, Greece | Yugoslavia | Soviet Union | West Germany |
| 1989 | West Berlin, West Germany | Yugoslavia | Italy | Hungary |
| 1991 | Barcelona, Spain | United States | Yugoslavia | Spain |
| 1993 | Athens, Greece | Italy | Hungary | Australia |
| 1995 | Atlanta, USA | Hungary | Italy | Russia |
| 1997 | Athens, Greece | United States | Greece | Hungary |
| 1999 | Sydney, Australia | Hungary | Italy | Spain |
| 2002 | Belgrade, Yugoslavia | Russia | Hungary | Yugoslavia |
| 2006 | Budapest, Hungary | Serbia and Montenegro | Hungary | Spain |
| 2010 | Oradea, Romania | Serbia | Croatia | Spain |
| 2014 | Almaty, Kazakhstan | Serbia | Hungary | Croatia |
| 2018 | Berlin, Germany | Hungary | Australia | Serbia |
| 2023 | Los Angeles, USA | Spain | Italy | United States |
| 2025 | Podgorica, Montenegro | | | |

## Medal table

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Hungary | 4 | 5 | 2 | 11 |
| 2 | Serbia | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| 3 | United States | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | Yugoslavia | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | Soviet Union | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | Spain | 2 | 0 | 5 | 7 |
| 7 | Italy | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
| 8 | West Germany | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 9 | Russia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 11 | Australia | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 11 | Croatia | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 11 | Greece | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 14 | Cuba | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (14 entries) | Totals (14 entries) | 19 | 18 | 19 | 56 |
    Source:
* ^[a] FR Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro medals included in Serbia row

## Participation details
### Legend

* 1st – Champions
* 2nd – Runners-up
* 3rd – Third place
* 4th – Fourth place
* – Disqualified
* – Hosts
* = – More than one team tied for that rank
* Q – Qualified for forthcoming tournament
* $^†$ – Defunct team
Africa – CANA (1 team) :
| Men's team | 1979 | 1981 | 1983 | 1985 | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2023 | 2025 | Years |
| South Africa | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8th | 8th | | | 2 |
| Americas – ASUA (2 teams) ||||||||||||||||||||
| Men's team | 1979 | 1981 | 1983 | 1985 | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2023 | 2025 | Years |
| Cuba | | 3rd | 8th | | 7th | | | 8th | | | | | | | | | | | 4 |
| United States | 2nd | 4th | 4th | 2nd | 4th | 8th | 1st | 4th | 4th | 1st | 6th | 7th | | 4th | 4th | 6th | 3rd | | 16 |
| Asia – AASF (4 teams) ||||||||||||||||||||
| Men's team | 1979 | 1981 | 1983 | 1985 | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2023 | 2025 | Years |
| China | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7th | | | | | 1 |
| Iran | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8th | | | | | 1 |
| Japan | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7th | | Q | 2 |
| Kazakhstan | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | | | | | | | | 6th | | | | 1 |
| Europe – LEN (15 teams) ||||||||||||||||||||
| Men's team | 1979 | 1981 | 1983 | 1985 | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2023 | 2025 | Years |
| Bulgaria | 8th | 8th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| Croatia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | | 8th | 8th | | 8th | 4th | 2nd | 3rd | 5th | | Q | 8 |
| Germany West Germany$^†$ | 5th | | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 5th | 8th | 6th | | | | | | | | 4th | 8th | Q | 10 |
| Greece | | | | 8th | 8th | | | 7th | 6th | 2nd | 7th | 5th | 7th | | | | 5th | Q | 10 |
| Hungary | 1st | 6th | 7th | | | 3rd | 4th | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | | 2nd | 1st | 4th | Q | 15 |
| Italy | 6th | | 3rd | 5th | 5th | 2nd | | 1st | 2nd | 5th | 2nd | 4th | 5th | | | | 2nd | | 12 |
| Montenegro | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | | 7th | | | Q | 2 |
| Netherlands | | | 6th | 6th | | | | | 7th | | | | | | | | | Q | 4 |
| Men's team | 1979 | 1981 | 1983 | 1985 | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2023 | 2025 | Years |
| Romania | 7th | | | | | | 6th | | | | | | 6th | 5th | | | 6th | | 5 |
| Russia | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | 5th | 3rd | 4th | 4th | 1st | 8th | | | | | | 6 |
| Serbia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | Part of SCG / FRY | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 7th | | 4 |
| Serbia and Montenegro$^†$ Yugoslavia$^†$ | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | | | 7th | 5th | 3rd | 1st | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | 4 |
| Soviet Union$^†$ | 4th | 1st | 1st | | 2nd | 6th | 5th | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | 6 |
| Spain | | 5th | 5th | 3rd | 6th | 4th | 3rd | | 5th | 6th | 3rd | 6th | 3rd | 3rd | | | 1st | Q | 14 |
| Yugoslavia$^†$ | 3rd | 2nd | | 4th | 1st | 1st | 2nd | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | Defunct | 6 |
| Oceania – OSA (1 team) ||||||||||||||||||||
| Men's team | 1979 | 1981 | 1983 | 1985 | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2023 | 2025 | Years |
| Australia | | 7th | | 7th | | 7th | 7th | 3rd | | | 8th | | | 6th | 5th | 2nd | | | 9 |
| Total teams | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |