FINA Water Polo World League

The World League water polo (engl: FINA Water Polo World League) is presented annually registered, global competition for national teams, organized by the World Swimming Federation FINA.

History

The World League in volleyball modeled competition will bring together the best national teams in the world every year over a long period of time in different places and at the same time advertise in many regions little known sport. The first World League competition of the men was held in 2002 with eight teams, with Russia to the finals in Patras ( Greece) won the title. The women followed in 2004 in Long Beach (USA) with a rollercoaster tournament, which brought the first success of the previous record winner United States.

Germany is intermittently since 2005 with both teams and it was at the men on the final round of the same year in Belgrade (then Serbia and Montenegro ) Third, which is so far the only medal at this competition. The World League Final 2007 took place in Berlin and brought the second finals appearance a fourth place for the host. Germany's women qualified for the final tournament for the first time in 2012 and occupied in Changshu (China) finished sixth among eight teams.

Competition

The competition enjoys as the World Championships or the FINA World Cup full recognition of the World Swimming Federation. The winner will be announced on alljährlicher a final ( '' Super Final '') with participants from several continents, which since 2009 has eight teams. Since 2007, Continental preliminary rounds will be played, to ensure that a final with participants from different regions comes about and enables a global representation of the sport in men as well as women. In 2008 there were in the men's preliminary round for the first time a tournament with teams from Africa.

A qualification for the World League it is not; FINA invites the most important nations, and would still allow in Asia, Africa and America at present interest even more teams. The preliminary rounds will be held for reasons of cost usually in a tournament. For men, the European nations are in the 2008/2009 season after four year break, but again transferred to individual games with Return battles similar to the European Championship qualifier in football.

• Water Polo World Championships