Geography of water polo explained

Water polo is a full-contact sport played in many countries around the world. The sport's international governing body is FINA.

Some countries have two principal competitions: a more prestigious league which is typically a double round-robin tournament restricted to the elite clubs, and a cup which is a single-elimination tournament open to both the elite and lesser clubs.

World

Governing body	Number of members associations	Main men's competition(s)		Main women's competition(s)
		National	Club	National	Club
International Swimming Federation (FINA)	209		rowspan="4"		rowspan="4"
			World Aquatics Championships
			Women's World Cup
			Women's World League

Continental governing bodies

Continent	Governing body	Number of FINA member associations
	African Swimming Confederation (CANA)	52
	Swimming Union of the Americas (ASUA or UANA)	45
	Asia Swimming Federation (AASF)	45
	European Swimming League (LEN)	52
	Oceania Swimming Association (OSA)	15

Africa

By country

National associations

Country	FINA code	Overview	National association
	ALG		Algerian Swimming Federation
	ANG		Angolan Swimming Federation
	BEN		Benin Swimming Federation
	BOT		Botswana Swimming Sport Association
	BUR		Burkinabé Swimming and Life Saving Federation
	BDI		Burundi Swimming Federation
	CMR		Cameroon Swimming and Life Saving Federation
	CPV		Cape Verde Swimming Federation
	CAF		Central African Republic Swimming Federation
	CHA		Chadian Amateur Swimming Federation
	COM		Comoros Swimming Federation
	CGO		Congolese Amateur Swimming Federation
	COD		Swimming Federation of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Country	FINA code	Overview	National association
	DJI		Djibouti Swimming Federation
	EGY		Egyptian Swimming Federation
	GEQ		Equatorial Guinean Swimming Federation
	ERI		Eritrean Swimming Federation
	ETH		Ethiopian Swimming Federation
	GAB		Gabonese Swimming Federation
	GAM		Gambia Swimming and Aquatics Sports Association
	GHA		Ghana Swimming Association
	GUI		Guineenne Federation of Swimming and Rescue
	GBS		Swimming Federation of Guinea-Bissau
	CIV		Ivorian Federation of Swimming and Rescue
	KEN		Kenya Swimming Federation
	LES		Lesotho Swimmers Association
Country	FINA code	Overview	National association
	LBR		Liberia National Swimming Federation
	LBA		Libyan Swimming Federation
	MAD		Malagasy Swimming Federation
	MAW		Malawi Aquatic Union
	MLI		Malian Swimming Federation
	MTN		Mauritanian Swimming Federation
	MRI		Mauritius Swimming Federation
	MAR		Royal Moroccan Swimming Federation
	MOZ		Mozambican Swimming Federation
	NAM		Namibia Swimming Union
	NIG		Nigerian Water Sports Federation
	NGR		Nigeria Swimming Federation
	RWA		Rwandan Amateur Swimming Federation
Country	FINA code	Overview	National association
	SEN		Senegalese Swimming and Rescue Federation
	SEY		Seychelles Swimming Association
	SLE		Sierra Leone Amateur Swimming, Diving and Water Polo Association
	SOM		Somali Swimming Federation
	RSA		Swimming South Africa
	SUD		Sudan Amateur Swimming Association
	SWZ		Swaziland National Swimming Association
	TAN		Tanzania Swimming Federation
	TOG		Togolese Swimming Federation
	TUN		Tunisian Swimming Federation
	UGA		Uganda Swimming Federation
	ZAM		Zambia Amateur Swimming Union
	ZIM		Zimbabwe Aquatic Union
Country	FINA code	Overview	National association

Competitions and teams

Legend

• – National water polo teams that competed at the Summer Olympics
• – National water polo teams that were Olympic champions
• – National water polo teams that finished in their best ever position of second at the Summer Olympics
• – National water polo teams that finished in their best ever position of third at the Summer Olympics
• – National water polo teams that finished in their best ever position of fourth at the Summer Olympics
• – Hosts of the Summer Olympics

Country	National teams		List of Clubs	Men's competitions		Women's competitions		International competitions hosted
	Men's	Women's		Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup
								Host
Country	National teams		List of Clubs	Men's competitions		Women's competitions		International competitions hosted
	Men's	Women's		Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup
Country	National teams		List of Clubs	Men's competitions		Women's competitions		International competitions hosted
	Men's	Women's		Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup
								Host
Country	National teams		List of Clubs	Men's competitions		Women's competitions		International competitions hosted
	Men's	Women's		Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup
								Host
Country	Men's	Women's	List of Clubs	Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup	International competitions hosted
	National teams			Men's competitions		Women's competitions

Americas

Continent	Governing body		Main men's competition(s)		Main women's competition(s)
			National	Club	National	Club
Americas	Swimming Union of the Americas (ASUA or UANA)	45		rowspan="2"		rowspan="2"
				ASUA Cup (UANA Cup)

By country

National associations

Country	FINA code	Overview	National association
	AGU		Anguilla Amateur Swimming Association
	ANT		Antigua and Barbuda Amateur Swimming Association
	ARG		Argentinian Confederation of Water Sports
	ARU		Aruba Swimming Federation
	BAH		Bahamas Swimming Federation
	BAR		Barbados Amateur Swimming Association
	BIZ		Belize Swimming Federation
	BER		Bermuda Amateur Swimming Association
	BOL		Swimming Federation of Bolivia
	BRA		Brazilian Confederation of Aquatic Sports
	IVB		British Virgin Islands Swimming Association
	CAN		Water Polo Canada
	CAY		Cayman Islands Amateur Swimming Association
	CHI		Chilean Federation of Aquatics Sport
	COL		Colombian Swimming Federation
Country	FINA code	Overview	National association
	CRC		Costa Rican Swimming Federation
	CUB		Cuban Swimming Federation
	CUR		Curaçao Aquatics Federation
	DMA		Dominica Amateur Swimming Association
	DOM		Dominican Swimming Federation
	ECU		Ecuadorian Swimming Federation
	ESA		Salvadoran Swimming Federation
	GRN		Grenada Amateur Swimming Association
	GUA		National Federation of Swimming, Diving, Water Polo and Synchronised Swimming
	GUY		Guyana Amateur Swimming Association
	HAI		Haitian Federation of Aquatic Sports
	HON		Honduran Swimming Federation
	JAM		Amateur Swimming Association of Jamaica
	MEX		Mexican Swimming Federation
	NCA		Nicaragua Swimming Federation
Country	FINA code	Overview	National association
	PAN		Panama Swimming Federation
	PAR		Paraguayan Swimming Federation
	PER		Peruvian Swimming Federation
	PUR		Puerto Rican Swimming Federation
	SKN		Saint Kitts and Nevis Swimming Federation
	LCA		Saint Lucia Amateur Swimming Association
	VIN		Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Swimming Federation
	MAA		Sint Maarten Swimming Association
	SUR		Suriname Swimming Federation
	TTO		Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago
	TCN		Turks and Caicos Islands National Swimming Association
	USA		USA Water Polo
	ISV		Virgin Islands Swimming Federation
	URU		Uruguayan Swimming Federation
	VEN		Venezuelan Aquatics Federation
Country	FINA code	Overview	National association

Competitions and teams

Legend

• – National water polo teams that competed at the Summer Olympics
• – National water polo teams that were Olympic champions
• – National water polo teams that finished in their best ever position of second at the Summer Olympics
• – National water polo teams that finished in their best ever position of third at the Summer Olympics
• – National water polo teams that finished in their best ever position of fourth at the Summer Olympics
• – Hosts of the Summer Olympics

Country	National teams		List of Clubs	Men's competitions		Women's competitions		International competitions hosted
	Men's	Women's		Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup
								Host
				Brazilian League		Brazilian League		Host
				National Championship League		National Championship League (women's)		Host
								Host
Country	National teams		List of Clubs	Men's competitions		Women's competitions		International competitions hosted
	Men's	Women's		Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup
								Host
								Host
								Host
								Host
Country	National teams		List of Clubs	Men's competitions		Women's competitions		International competitions hosted
	Men's	Women's		Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup
								Host
								Host
				National League				Host
								Host
Country	Men's	Women's	List of Clubs	Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup	International competitions hosted
	National teams			Men's competitions		Women's competitions

Asia

Continent	Governing body		Main men's competition(s)		Main women's competition(s)
			National	Club	National	Club
Asia	Asia Swimming Federation (AASF)	45				rowspan="3"
				rowspan="2"	Asian Water Polo Championship
				Asian Swimming Championships

By country

National associations

Notes:

• The national associations below are members of the European Swimming League (LEN):
  • Armenian Swimming Federation
  • Swimming Federation of Azerbaijan
  • Cyprus Swimming Federation
  • Georgian Aquatic Sports Federation
  • Israel Swimming Association
  • Russian Water Polo Federation
  • Turkish Swimming Federation
• The national association below is a member of the African Swimming Confederation (CANA):
  • Egyptian Swimming Federation

Country	FINA code	Overview	National association
	AFG		Afghanistan National Swimming Federation
	BRN		Bahrain Swimming Association
	BAN		Bangladesh Swimming Federation
	BHU		Bhutan Aquatics Federation
	BRU		Brunei Amateur Swimming Association
	CAM		Khmer Amateur Swimming Federation
	CHN		Chinese Swimming Association
	HKG		Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association
	IND		Swimming Federation of India
	INA		Indonesian Swimming Federation
	IRI		Iran Amateur Swimming Federation
	IRQ		Iraqi Swimming Federation
	JPN		Japan Swimming Federation
	JOR		Jordan Swimming Federation
	KAZ		Swimming Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Country	FINA code	Overview	National association
	PRK		Amateur Swimming Association of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
	KOR		Korea Swimming Federation
	KUW		Kuwait Swimming Association
	KGZ		Kyrgyz Republic Swimming Federation
	LAO		Lao Swimming Federation
	LBN		Lebanese Swimming Federation
	MAC		Macao General Swimming Association
	MAS		Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia
	MDV		Swimming Association of Maldives
	MGL		Mongolian Amateur Swimming Federation
	MYA		Myanmar Swimming Federation
	NEP		Nepal Swimming Association
	OMA		Oman Swimming Association
	PAK		Pakistan Swimming Federation
	PLE		Palestinian Swimming Federation and Aquatic Sports
Country	FINA code	Overview	National association
	PHI		Philippine Swimming
	QAT		Qatar Swimming Association
	KSA		Saudi Arabian Swimming Federation
	SGP		Singapore Swimming Association
	SRI		Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union
	SYR		Syrian Arab Swimming and Aquatic Sports Federation
	TPE		Chinese Taipei Swimming Association
	TJK		Swimming Federation of Tajikistan
	THA		Thailand Swimming Association
	TLS		National Swimming Federation of Timor Leste
	TKM		Water Sports Federation of Turkmenistan
	UAE		UAE Swimming Association
	UZB		Uzbekistan Swimming Federation
	VIE		Vietnam Aquatic Sports Association
	YEM		Yemen Swimming and Aquatics Federation
Country	FINA code	Overview	National association

Competitions and teams

Legend

• – National water polo teams that competed at the Summer Olympics
• – National water polo teams that were Olympic champions
• – National water polo teams that finished in their best ever position of second at the Summer Olympics
• – National water polo teams that finished in their best ever position of third at the Summer Olympics
• – National water polo teams that finished in their best ever position of fourth at the Summer Olympics
• – Hosts of the Summer Olympics

Country	National teams		List of Clubs	Men's competitions		Women's competitions		International competitions hosted
	Men's	Women's		Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup
								Host
								Host
								Host
								Host
								Host
								Host
Country	National teams		List of Clubs	Men's competitions		Women's competitions		International competitions hosted
	Men's	Women's		Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup
								Host
Country	National teams		List of Clubs	Men's competitions		Women's competitions		International competitions hosted
	Men's	Women's		Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup
								Host
								Host
								Host
								Host
								Host
Country	Men's	Women's	List of Clubs	Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup	International competitions hosted
	National teams			Men's competitions		Women's competitions

Europe

Continent	Governing body		Main men's competition(s)		Main women's competition(s)
			National	Club	National	Club
Europe	European Swimming League (LEN)	52				Euro League Women
						LEN Trophy
						Women's Super Cup

By sub-region

Sub-region	Main men's competition(s)		Main women's competition(s)
	National	Club	National	Club
		Adriatic League (teams from , , and )
		Nordic League (teams from , , , , Denmark, Slovakia and Czech Republic)

By country

National associations

Notes:

• The national association below is a member of the Asia Swimming Federation (AASF):
  • Swimming Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Country	FINA code	Overview	National association
	ALB		Albanian Swimming Federation
	AND		Andorran Swimming Federation
	ARM		Armenian Swimming Federation
	AUT		Austrian Swimming Federation
	AZE		Swimming Federation of Azerbaijan
	BLR		Swimming Federation of Belarus
	BEL		Royal Belgian Swimming Federation
	BIH		Swimming Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina
	BUL		Bulgarian Water Polo Federation
	CRO		Croatian Water Polo Federation
	CYP		Cyprus Swimming Federation
	CZE		Czech Swimming Federation
	DEN		Danish Swimming Union
Country	FINA code	Overview	National association
	EST		Estonian Swimming Federation
	FAR		Swimming Federation of the Faroe Islands
	FIN		Finnish Swimming Federation
	FRA		French Swimming Federation
	GEO		Georgian Aquatic Sports Federation
	GER		German Swimming Federation
	GIB		Gibraltar Amateur Swimming Association
	GRE		Hellenic Swimming Federation
	HUN		Hungarian Water Polo Federation
	ISL		Icelandic Swimming Association
	IRL		Swim Ireland
	ISR		Israel Swimming Association
	ITA		Italian Swimming Federation
Country	FINA code	Overview	National association
	KOS		Kosovo Swimming Federation
	LAT		Latvian Swimming Federation
	LIE		Swimming Association of Liechtenstein
	LTU		Lithuanian Swimming Federation
	LUX		Luxembourg Swimming and Life-saving Federation
	MKD		Swimming Federation of North Macedonia
	MLT		Aquatic Sports Association of Malta
	MDA		Moldovan Swimming Federation
	MON		Swimming Federation of Monaco
	MNE		Water Polo and Swimming Federation of Montenegro
	NED		Royal Dutch Swimming Federation
	NOR		Norwegian Swimming Federation
	POL		Polish Swimming Federation
Country	FINA code	Overview	National association
	POR		Portuguese Swimming Federation
	ROU		Romanian Water Polo Federation
	RUS		Russian Water Polo Federation
	SMR		Swimming Federation of San Marino
	SRB		Water Polo Association of Serbia
	SVK		Slovak Water Polo Union
	SLO		Zveza vaterpolskih društev Slovenije
	ESP		Royal Spanish Swimming Federation
	SWE		Swedish Swimming Federation
	SUI		Swiss Swimming Federation
	TUR		Türkiye Sutopu Federasyonu
	UKR		Ukrainian Swimming Federa
	GBR		British Swimming
Country	FINA code	Overview	National association

Former country	FINA code	Overview	National association
	TCH
	GDR		Fédération Royale Belge de Natation
	FRG
	SCG		Water Polo Association of Serbia and Montenegro
	URS		Федерация водного поло СССР
	YUG		Vaterpolo savez Jugoslavije

Competitions and teams

Legend

• – National water polo teams that competed at the Summer Olympics
• – National water polo teams that were Olympic champions
• – National water polo teams that finished in their best ever position of second at the Summer Olympics
• – National water polo teams that finished in their best ever position of third at the Summer Olympics
• – National water polo teams that finished in their best ever position of fourth at the Summer Olympics
• – Hosts of the Summer Olympics

Country	National teams		List of Clubs	Men's competitions		Women's competitions		International competitions hosted
	Men's	Women's		Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup
				Österreichische Wasserball Liga				Host
								Host
								Host
								Host
								Host
				Czech First League
Country	National teams		List of Clubs	Men's competitions		Women's competitions		International competitions hosted
	Men's	Women's		Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup
				Finnish League				Host
								Host
								Host
								Host
								Host
				National Division 1
								Host
Country	National teams		List of Clubs	Men's competitions		Women's competitions		International competitions hosted
	Men's	Women's		Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup
								Host
								Host
Country	National teams		List of Clubs	Men's competitions		Women's competitions		International competitions hosted
	Men's	Women's		Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup
								Host
								Host
								Host
				Extraliga
								Host
								Host
								Host
								Host
								Host
Country	Men's	Women's	List of Clubs	Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup	International competitions hosted
	National teams			Men's competitions		Women's competitions

Former country	National teams		List of Clubs	Men's competitions		Women's competitions		International competitions hosted
	Men's	Women's		Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup
								Host
								Host
								Host
								Host

Oceania

By country

National associations

Country	FINA code	Overview	National association
	ASA		American Samoa Swimming Association
	AUS		Water Polo Australia
	COK		Cook Islands Aquatics Federation
	FIJ		Fiji Swimming
	GUM		Guam Swimming Federation
	MHL		Marshall Islands Swimming Federation
	FSM		Federated States of Micronesia Swimming Association
	NZL		New Zealand Water Polo
	NMA		Northern Mariana Islands Swimming Federation
	PLW		Palau Swimming Association
	PNG		Papua New Guinea Swimming
	SAM		Samoa Swimming Federation
	SOL		Solomon Islands Swimming Federation
	TGA		Tonga Swimming Association
	VAN		Vanuatu Aquatics Federation
Country	FINA code	Overview	National association

Competitions and teams

Legend

• – National water polo teams that competed at the Summer Olympics
• – National water polo teams that were Olympic champions
• – National water polo teams that finished in their best ever position of second at the Summer Olympics
• – National water polo teams that finished in their best ever position of third at the Summer Olympics
• – National water polo teams that finished in their best ever position of fourth at the Summer Olympics
• – Hosts of the Summer Olympics

Country	National teams		List of Clubs	Men's competitions		Women's competitions		International competitions hosted
	Men's	Women's		Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup
						Australian League (women's)		Host
						New Zealand League (women's)		Host
Country	Men's	Women's	List of Clubs	Top division	Domestic cup	Top division	Domestic cup	International competitions hosted
	National teams			Men's competitions		Women's competitions

See also

• List of FINA member federations