GB Women secure ninth-place finish at European Aquatics Championships

The Great Britain Women’s water polo team delivered a strong performance at the 2026 European Aquatics Championships in Funchal, Portugal, finishing ninth overall after eight days of competition. The team demonstrated marked resilience and growth, winning all of their classification matches, which included a decisive final victory against Serbia.

The championship started with a challenging group stage for the British squad who faced some of the continent's strongest teams. Great Britain suffered an opening defeat to the defending champions, the Netherlands (14–4), indicating the high level of intensity required in the tournament. A subsequent 11–6 loss to Israel proved to be a frustrating result, despite glimpses of confident play.

The squad regained momentum by securing an emphatic 18–6 win over Switzerland in the final group game, keeping them competitive but placing them into the 9–16 classification round. As the tournament progressed, improvements were evident, as noted by Head Coach Theo Nousios, who praised the team's increased composure in attack, defensive intensity, and overall momentum.

Great Britain continued to impress in the classification stage, earning convincing victories over Romania (20–2) and Portugal (15–8). These wins showcased the team's sharpening execution and growing confidence across the pool.

The campaign concluded with a high-pressure clash against Serbia for ninth place. In a tightly contested match, Great Britain prevailed 10–9, securing their fourth consecutive win and capping off their European campaign with determination and collective spirit.

Coach Nousios reflected on the squad’s performance, highlighting their determination following their earlier group defeat to Israel and commending their work ethic, adaptability, and adherence to the game plan throughout the tournament.

This ninth-place finish underlines Great Britain’s continued development, adaptability, and capacity to compete at European level. Full results and further details are available on the European Aquatics website. The complete GB roster and tournament overview can be viewed via the official team preview.

Swim England confirms 2026 water polo competition schedule

Swim England has released its 2026 domestic water polo competition calendar, setting dates for the U17 and U19 tournaments at major venues across the country. The U15 tournament dates are yet to be finalised.

The action begins with preliminary rounds in January for the U19 Female & U17 Open/Male categories at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield, followed by the U19 Open/Male in Manchester and U17 Female at GL1 Leisure Centre, Gloucester. Qualification rounds for the U17 Female & U17 Open/Male competitions will be held at Sandwell Aquatics Centre, Smethwick, from 28 February to 1 March.

The national finals weekend for both U17 and U19 categories will take place at GL1 Leisure Centre, Gloucester, on 2–3 May 2026. The U15 competition schedule will be confirmed and published in due course.

A comprehensive breakdown of dates and venues, as well as additional information on the Water Polo National Age Group Championships, can be found on the Swim England website.