Water polo is one of the most popular sports in Malta, with the level of clubs being quite high.[1]
Maltese Water polo is administered by the Aquatic Sports Association of Malta, with a respective section dedicated to this sport.[2] Water polo activities are sponsored by Bank of Valletta.[3]
Water polo was played in Malta at the turn of the 20th century, and was already a well-contested sport in the 1920s, when Lord Plumer, then Governor of Malta, thought about the possibility of entering a Maltese team in the 1924 Summer Olympics. Eventually Lord Plumer left his post but the Maltese enterprised through the Aquatic Sports Association of Malta, then called Amateur Swimmers Association.[4] This was refused by the Dutch organising them on the grounds that Malta was not a country, and after a legal battle ensued for Malta to be able to accede, Malta entered the 1928 Summer Olympics.[4] It is worth noting that this process also led to the creation of the Malta Olympic Committee.[5]
Previously there were much more teams,[6] and there was even a league system specific to Gozo only.[7] Currently the clubs are:
| Club | City | Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barracudas S.C. | San Pawl il-Baħar | Maltese Water polo First Division | |
| Birzebbuga A.S.C. | Birżebbuġa | Maltese Water polo First Division | |
| Exiles S.C. | Sliema | Maltese Water polo Premier Division | |
| Marsaskala S.C. | Marsaskala | Maltese Water polo First Division | |
| Marsaxlokk A.S.C. | Marsaxlokk | Maltese Water polo First Division | |
| Neptunes WPSC | St. Julian's | Maltese Water polo Premier Division | |
| Otters A.S.C. | Żebbuġ, Gozo | Maltese Water polo First Division | |
| San Giljan A.S.C. | St. Julian's | Maltese Water polo Premier Division | |
| Sirens A.S.C. | San Pawl il-Baħar | Maltese Water polo Premier Division | |
| Sliema A.S.C. | Sliema | Maltese Water polo Premier Division | |
| Ta' Xbiex W.C. | Ta' Xbiex | Maltese Water polo First Division | |
| Valletta United W.P.C. | Valletta | Maltese Water polo Premier Division |
The Maltese Water polo league currently features 12 teams in two divisions:[3]
Malta has qualified for the 2016 Men's European Water Polo Championship[8] [9] and the 2018 Men's European Water Polo Championship.[10] [11] [12] [13] [14]