# Water polo at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's qualification

The 2012 Men's Water Polo Olympic Qualification Tournament was held at the Kinsman Sports Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from 1 to 8 April 2012.

## Participants

There were 12 places originally allocated to continental associations in the tournament not already directly qualified to the Olympics – 5 from Europe, 3 from the Americas, 2 from Asia, 1 from Africa, and 1 from Oceania.
Montenegro, Germany, Greece, Spain and Romania qualified from the 2012 European Water Polo Championships and confirmed their attendance at the tournament. Canada qualified from the Americas as host country. Brazil and Cuba qualified from the 2011 Pan American Games, Brazil confirmed their attendance, but Cuba declined and was replaced by Argentina, the next ranked team in the 2011 Pan American Games.
No teams from Asia, Africa and Oceania applied to participate in the qualification tournament. There was an article written by a FINA press correspondent in Japan showing confusion around the qualification procedure from the 2012 Asian Water Polo Championship, as the article states that the winners of the Asian Championship had advanced to this qualification tournament (in fact, they qualified directly for the Olympics) and that Japan could no longer get to the Olympics (in fact, according to FINA By-Laws, they were eligible for this tournament, and they did not apply). The next highest placed teams from the other continents were invited to take these four available places, in the following rotation:
* Host continent (Americas)
* Americas
* Asia
* Europe
* Oceania
* Africa
In the first rotation, the next-placed teams in the 2011 Pan American Games, Mexico and Colombia, declined to participate, but Venezuela, the last-placed team, did decide to sign-up for the tournament using the host continent place. As there were no remaining American, Asian, Oceanian, nor African teams making themselves available for selection, the next three places went to the three participants in the 2012 European Water Polo Championships that were not already either qualified for the Olympics or already in this tournament - the Netherlands, Macedonia and Turkey.
| Europe | How qualified |
| Montenegro | 2nd, 2012 European Water Polo Championships |
| Germany | 5th, 2012 European Water Polo Championships |
| Greece | 6th, 2012 European Water Polo Championships |
| Spain | 7th, 2012 European Water Polo Championships |
| Romania | 8th, 2012 European Water Polo Championships |
| Netherlands | 10th, 2012 European Water Polo Championships |
| North Macedonia | 11th, 2012 European Water Polo Championships |
| Turkey | 12th, 2012 European Water Polo Championships |
| Americas | |
| Canada | Host country |
| Brazil | 3rd, 2011 Pan American Games |
| Argentina | 5th, 2011 Pan American Games |
| Venezuela |
| Asia | |
| | no entries |
| Africa | |
| | no entries |
| Oceania | |
| | no entries |

## Draw

The draw took place on 19 February 2012 at 12:00 at the Crowne Plaza, London Docklands. There are six teams in each preliminary round group. Each team was drawn from a draw line of two teams based on their results, first in the last World Championships, then by their last continental championships.
| Draw line | Country | Status | Drawn into group | Country | Status | Drawn into group |
| Line 1 | Spain | 5th, 2011 World Championships | B | Montenegro | 7th, 2011 World Championships | A |
| Line 2 | Germany | 8th, 2011 World Championships | A | Canada | 10th, 2011 World Championships | B |
| Line 3 | Romania | 12th, 2011 World Championships | A | Brazil | 14th, 2011 World Championships | B |
| Line 4 | Greece | 6th, 2012 European Water Polo Championships | A | Argentina | 5th, 2011 Pan American Games | B |
| Line 5 | Netherlands | 10th, 2012 European Water Polo Championships | A | Venezuela | | B |
| Line 6 | North Macedonia | 11th, 2012 European Water Polo Championships | A | Turkey | 12th, 2012 European Water Polo Championships | B |
* Venezuela withdrew.
After being drawn into Group A and B, the teams drew numbers from 1 to 6 to determine the order of matches.
| | Group A | | Group B |
| 1 | Montenegro | 1 | Venezuela |
| 2 | Germany | 2 | Turkey |
| 3 | Greece | 3 | Spain |
| 4 | North Macedonia | 4 | Brazil |
| 5 | Romania | 5 | Argentina |
| 6 | Netherlands | 6 | Canada |

## Preliminary round

All times are local (UTC−6)

### Group A

| | Team | G | W | D | L | GF | GA | Diff | Points |
| 1. | Montenegro | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 34 | +25 | 10 |
| 2. | Romania | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 43 | 44 | −1 | 6 |
| 3. | Greece | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 53 | 34 | +19 | 6 |
| 4. | North Macedonia | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 29 | 45 | −16 | 4 |
| 5. | Germany | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 41 | 43 | −2 | 4 |
| 6. | Netherlands | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 28 | 53 | −25 | 0 |
| 1 April 2012 13:50 | Report | Montenegro | 12–6 | Netherlands | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Borrell, Terpenka |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Borrell, Terpenka |||
| 1 April 2012 13:50 | Report | Petrović 3 | Goals | Kramer 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Borrell, Terpenka |
| 1 April 2012 15:10 | Report | Greece | 12–2 | North Macedonia | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Gomez, Rotstart |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Gomez, Rotstart |||
| 1 April 2012 15:10 | Report | Fountoulis 5 | Goals | Čuk 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Gomez, Rotstart |
| 1 April 2012 16:30 | Report | Germany | 10–9 | Romania | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Peris, Flahive |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Peris, Flahive |||
| 1 April 2012 16:30 | Report | Politze 3 | Goals | Radu 4 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Peris, Flahive |
| 2 April 2012 15:40 | Report | Netherlands | 6–9 | North Macedonia | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Filiksac, Werner |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Filiksac, Werner |||
| 2 April 2012 15:40 | Report | Kramer, Lindhout 2 | Goals | Aksentijević 3 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Filiksac, Werner |
| 2 April 2012 17:00 | Report | Romania | 10–9 | Greece | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Peris, Terpenka |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Peris, Terpenka |||
| 2 April 2012 17:00 | Report | Radu 4 | Goals | three players 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Peris, Terpenka |
| 2 April 2012 18:20 | Report | Montenegro | 11–7 | Germany | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Gomez, Borrell |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Gomez, Borrell |||
| 2 April 2012 18:20 | Report | Ivović, Janović 3 | Goals | Oeler, Stamm 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Gomez, Borrell |
| 3 April 2012 14:20 | Report | North Macedonia | 6–9 | Romania | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Peris, Filiksac |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Peris, Filiksac |||
| 3 April 2012 14:20 | Report | Aksentijević 3 | Goals | three players 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Peris, Filiksac |
| 3 April 2012 15:40 | Report | Germany | 11–6 | Netherlands | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Borrell, Werner |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Borrell, Werner |||
| 3 April 2012 15:40 | Report | three players 2 | Goals | Gielen, Lindhout 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Borrell, Werner |
| 3 April 2012 17:00 | Report | Greece | 7–8 | Montenegro | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Flahive, Rotstart |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Flahive, Rotstart |||
| 3 April 2012 17:00 | Report | C.Afroudakis 3 | Goals | Janović 3 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Flahive, Rotstart |
| 4 April 2012 15:40 | Report | Netherlands | 5–7 | Romania | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Terpenka, Filiksac |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Terpenka, Filiksac |||
| 4 April 2012 15:40 | Report | five players 1 | Goals | Radu 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Terpenka, Filiksac |
| 4 April 2012 17:00 | Report | Montenegro | 14–6 | North Macedonia | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Rotstart, Werner |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Rotstart, Werner |||
| 4 April 2012 17:00 | Report | Radović 3 | Goals | Dimovski 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Rotstart, Werner |
| 4 April 2012 18:20 | Report | Germany | 9–11 | Greece | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Gomez, Peris |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Gomez, Peris |||
| 4 April 2012 18:20 | Report | Oeler, Schueler 3 | Goals | five players 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Gomez, Peris |
| 5 April 2012 14:20 | Report | Greece | 14–5 | Netherlands | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Terpenka, Peris |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Terpenka, Peris |||
| 5 April 2012 14:20 | Report | C.Afroudakis 4, Fountoulis 3 | Goals | Lindhout 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Terpenka, Peris |
| 5 April 2012 15:40 | Report | North Macedonia | 6–4 | Germany | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Werner, Smit |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Werner, Smit |||
| 5 April 2012 15:40 | Report | Ranđić 3 | Goals | four players 1 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Werner, Smit |
| 5 April 2012 17:00 | Report | Montenegro | 14–8 | Romania | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Rotstart, Flahive |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Rotstart, Flahive |||
| 5 April 2012 17:00 | Report | Ivović, Zloković 3 | Goals | Matei Guiman, Georgescu 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Rotstart, Flahive |

### Group B

| | Team | G | W | D | L | GF | GA | Diff | Points |
| 1. | Spain | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 21 | +40 | 8 |
| 2. | Canada | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 45 | 28 | +17 | 6 |
| 3. | Brazil | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 43 | 47 | −4 | 3 |
| 4. | Turkey | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 55 | −28 | 2 |
| 5. | Argentina | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 27 | 52 | −25 | 1 |
| 1 April 2012 17:50 | Report | Spain | 17–7 | Brazil | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Alexandresa, Bender |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Alexandresa, Bender |||
| 1 April 2012 17:50 | Report | Perrone 4 | Goals | Miranda, Rocha 3 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Alexandresa, Bender |
| 1 April 2012 20:00 | Report | Turkey | 9–9 | Argentina | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Smit, Ađić |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Smit, Ađić |||
| 1 April 2012 20:00 | Report | Okman 3 | Goals | Caranantes 4 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Smit, Ađić |
| 2 April 2012 14:20 | Report | Argentina | 6–14 | Spain | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Vasileiou, Damčevski |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Vasileiou, Damčevski |||
| 2 April 2012 14:20 | Report | Echenique, Yanez 2 | Goals | García 3 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Vasileiou, Damčevski |
| 2 April 2012 19:40 | Report | Canada | 12–9 | Brazil | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Flahive, Bender |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Flahive, Bender |||
| 2 April 2012 19:40 | Report | Graham 3 | Goals | Silva 4 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Flahive, Bender |
| 3 April 2012 18:20 | Report | Brazil | 16–7 | Argentina | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Alexandrescu, Damčevski |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Alexandrescu, Damčevski |||
| 3 April 2012 18:20 | Report | Guimaraes, Rocha 5 | Goals | Arregui 3 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Alexandrescu, Damčevski |
| 3 April 2012 19:40 | Report | Turkey | 5–14 | Canada | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Vasileiou, Smit |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Vasileiou, Smit |||
| 3 April 2012 19:40 | Report | Beskardesler, Okman 2 | Goals | Graham 4 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Vasileiou, Smit |
| 4 April 2012 14:20 | Report | Turkey | 2–21 | Spain | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Bender, Damčevski |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Bender, Damčevski |||
| 4 April 2012 14:20 | Report | Gagatay 2 | Goals | Espanol 5 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Bender, Damčevski |
| 4 April 2012 19:40 | Report | Canada | 13–5 | Argentina | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Vasileiou, Ađić |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Vasileiou, Ađić |||
| 4 April 2012 19:40 | Report | Vikalo 3 | Goals | Echenique 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Vasileiou, Ađić |
| 5 April 2012 18:20 | Report | Brazil | 11–11 | Turkey | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Bender, Ađić |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Bender, Ađić |||
| 5 April 2012 18:20 | Report | Crivella 3 | Goals | Cagatay 3 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Bender, Ađić |
| 5 April 2012 19:40 | Report | Spain | 9–6 | Canada | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Gomez, Alexandrescu |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Gomez, Alexandrescu |||
| 5 April 2012 19:40 | Report | Molina 3 | Goals | Constantin-Bicari, Conway 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Gomez, Alexandrescu |

## Knockout stage

All times are local (UTC−6)

### Bracket

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Gold medal game | Gold medal game | Gold medal game |
| A1 | Montenegro | 19 | | | | | | |
| B4 | Turkey | 6 | | | | | | |
| B4 | Turkey | 6 | A1 | Montenegro | 13 | | | |
| | | | A3 | Greece | 12 | | | |
| A3 | Greece | 10 | A3 | Greece | 12 | | | |
| B2 | Canada | 6 | | | | | | |
| B2 | Canada | 6 | | | | A1 | Montenegro | 12 |
| | | | | | | B1 | Spain | 9 |
| A2 | Romania | 19 | | | | | | | B1 | Spain | 9 |
| B3 | Brazil | 8 | | | |
| B3 | Brazil | 8 | A2 | Romania | 6 | Bronze medal game | Bronze medal game | Bronze medal game |
| | | | B1 | Spain | 11 |
| A4 | North Macedonia | 7 | B1 | Spain | 11 | A3 | Greece | 14 |
| B1 | Spain | 11 | | | | A2 | Romania | 10 |

### 5th-8th place bracket

| 5th-8th semifinals | 5th-8th semifinals | 5th-8th semifinals | 5th place | 5th place | 5th place |
| B4 | Turkey | 7 | | | |
| B2 | Canada | 12 | | | |
| B2 | Canada | 12 | B2 | Canada | 11 |
| | | | A4 | North Macedonia | 10 |
| B3 | Brazil | 12 | A4 | North Macedonia | 10 |
| A4 | North Macedonia | 15 | 7th place | 7th place | 7th place |
| | | | B4 | Turkey | 16 |
| | | | B3 | Brazil | 12 |

### Quarterfinal round

The winners in the quarterfinal round qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games water polo tournament.
| 6 April 2012 14:00 | Report | Montenegro | 19–6 | Turkey | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Terpenka, Alexandrescu |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Terpenka, Alexandrescu |||
| 6 April 2012 14:00 | Report | Ivović 5 | Goals | Cagatay, Beskardesler 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Terpenka, Alexandrescu |
| 6 April 2012 15:30 | Report | Romania | 19–8 | Brazil | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Peris, Vasilieou |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Peris, Vasilieou |||
| 6 April 2012 15:30 | Report | Negrean, Georgescu 4 | Goals | Silva, Miranda 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Peris, Vasilieou |
| 6 April 2012 17:00 | Report | North Macedonia | 7–11 | Spain | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Rotstart, Gomez |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Rotstart, Gomez |||
| 6 April 2012 17:00 | Report | 7 different scorers | Goals | Molina 5 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Rotstart, Gomez |
| 6 April 2012 18:30 | Report | Greece | 10–6 | Canada | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Flahive, Borrell |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Flahive, Borrell |||
| 6 April 2012 18:30 | Report | Theodoropoulos, Afroudakis 4 | Goals | Constantin-Bicari, Graham 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Flahive, Borrell |

### Semifinal round
#### 5th-8th classification semifinals

| 7 April 2012 13:00 | Report | Turkey | 7–12 | Canada | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Damcevski, Smit |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Damcevski, Smit |||
| 7 April 2012 13:00 | Report | Okman 2 | Goals | Constantin-Bicari 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Damcevski, Smit |
| 7 April 2012 14:20 | Report | Brazil | 12–15 | North Macedonia | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Filiksac, Adzic |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Filiksac, Adzic |||
| 7 April 2012 14:20 | Report | Silva 4 | Goals | six players 2 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Filiksac, Adzic |

#### 1st-4th classification semifinals

| 7 April 2012 15:40 | Report | Montenegro | 13–12 | Greece | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Terpenka, Gómez |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Terpenka, Gómez |||
| 7 April 2012 15:40 | Report | Janović 5 | Goals | Fountoulis 4 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Terpenka, Gómez |
| 7 April 2012 17:00 | Report | Romania | 6–11 | Spain | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Bender, Rotstart |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Bender, Rotstart |||
| 7 April 2012 17:00 | Report | Negrean 3 | Goals | Perrone 3 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Bender, Rotstart |

### Final round
#### 7th place match

| 8 April 2012 13:00 | Report | Turkey | 16–12 | Brazil | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Vasileiou, Damčevski |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Vasileiou, Damčevski |||
| 8 April 2012 13:00 | Report | three players 3 | Goals | Rocha 3 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Vasileiou, Damčevski |

#### 5th place match

| 8 April 2012 14:20 | Report | Canada | 11–10 | North Macedonia | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Alexandrescu, Werner |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Alexandrescu, Werner |||
| 8 April 2012 14:20 | Report | four players 2 | Goals | Randjikj 4 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Alexandrescu, Werner |

#### Bronze medal match

| 8 April 2012 15:40 | Report | Greece | 14–10 | Romania | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Peris, Rotstart |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Peris, Rotstart |||
| 8 April 2012 15:40 | Report | Miralis, Delakas 3 | Goals | Radu 5 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Peris, Rotstart |

#### Final

| 8 April 2012 17:00 | Report | Montenegro | 12–9 | Spain | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Flahive, Gomez |
| Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Flahive, Gomez |||
| 8 April 2012 17:00 | Report | Pasković, Janović 3 | Goals | Perrone, García 3 | Kinsman Sports Centre, Edmonton Referees: Flahive, Gomez |

## Final ranking

| Rank | Team |
| 1. | Montenegro |
| 2. | Spain |
| 3. | Greece |
| 4. | Romania |
| 5. | Canada |
| 6. | North Macedonia |
| 7. | Turkey |
| 8. | Brazil |
| 9. | Germany |
| 10. | Argentina |
| 11. | Netherlands |