The World Cup was staged every four years from 1979 and 16 editions were played in total with Hungary topping the medal table with four golds, four silvers and two bronzes. The last edition was played in Berlin, Germany in 2018 and, as in 1979, the final edition was won by Hungary.

World Aquatics revamped its programme last year and ditched the annual World League events that ran from 2002 for men and 2006 for women, climaxing with last year’s events won by Italy men and Spain women.

By bringing the World Cup forward to an annual event, it streamlines the naming of events, which often caused confusion for players and spectators alike.

Late last year a draw was held for this year’s events and resulted in leading teams from the Budapest 2022 FINA World Championships being drawn into groups.

In the men’s cohort, Italy, Japan, Greece, Hungary, France and United States of America fill Group A and Serbia, Croatia, Georgia, Australia, Spain and Montenegro make up Group B.

For women, Greece, Netherlands, Hungary and Australia form Group A and Spain, United States of America, Italy and China create Group B.

While the men play Zagreb and Podgorica, the women will contest the first round in Rotterdam, Netherlands, followed by the second in Athens, Greece later next month.

Nations outside these groups will have a chance to make the Los Angeles, USA finals in June-July via a Division II qualifying tournament in Berlin, Germany.

This week’s focus, however, will be on Zagreb and Podgorica where the men’s teams will be competing in their respective groups over seven days — Group A in Zagreb and Group B in Podgorica.

With nations well into domestic seasons, the World Cup provides early pointers to how they have survived the break and look forward to a year filled with World Aquatics World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, European Championships and then the back-up World Championships in Doha, Qatar next February and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Many teams have a raft of international newcomers, especially the European teams.

Group A

Italy was one of the two FINA high flyers from last year with a heart-breaking, penalty-shootout loss to Spain at the FINA World Championships followed by a 13-9 margin over USA in the World League finale. Italy then dipped 7-6 to Spain for the bronze medal at the European Championships. Italy and United States of America play the same group and the latter’s sixth placing in Budapest means it is thereabouts in the medal hunt.

Croatia the current European champion is looking to carry their great form from 2022 into this year. If they win this world cup, that would put them as firm favourites for the upcoming world championships. 

Hungary was a disappointing seventh in Budapest and dumped coach Tamas Marcz, replacing him with 2000 Olympic champion Zsolt Varg, gaining immediate success with silver at the European Championships, losing only the second quarter 1-0 for the 10-9 defeat.

France, fourth in the World League and sixth at the Europeans, is escalating for a home Olympics. Japan completes the group with ninth in the World Championships after narrowly missing the top eight.

Group B

Spain, playing at the peak of its powers and the current world champions will be the team to watch group A. They will be looking to bounce back after there 3rd place in the European championships. 

The once-powerful Serbia, which lost its way after the retirement of its top team after Tokyo 2020, managed fifth placings at the World Championships and the World League and needs to improve hugely to get into the medal rankings this year.

Greece, third in Budapest after losing by a goal to Italy in the semifinals and beating Croatia — the eventual European champion — 9-7 for bronze, is on the rise and a real threat in 2023. It finished fifth at the Europeans, downing France 10-8 in the decider.

Montenegro is the next best and will be hoping to show its wares at home in the second round after having finished eighth at the World Championships, sixth in the World League and seventh at the Europeans.

Underdone Australia — who lost 15-11 to Montenegro in an official match at the weekend — claimed seventh place in the World League after a relatively poor 11th place in Budapest following no international competition due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Georgia  will be a more permanent fixture on the international circuit after 10th at the Worlds and eighth at the Europeans, closing with a 14-11 loss to Montenegro.

Group A, Zagreb schedule:

March 8:         17:30, Italy v Japan
                      19:00, Croatia v United States of America
                      20:30, France v Hungary

March 9:          18:30, Croatia v France
                      20:00, United States of America v Japan

March 10:        18:30, Hungary v Italy
                      20:00, France v United States of America

March 11        18:30, Italy v Croatia
                     20:00 Japan v Hungary

March 12        18:30, Croatia v Japan
                     20:00, France v Italy

March 13        18:30, United States of America v Hungary
                     20:00 Japan v France

March 14        18:30, Hungary v Croatia
                     20:00, Italy v United States of America

Group B, Podgorica schedule:

March 8:         15:30, Australia v Serbia
                      17:30, Greece v Spain
                      19:30, Montenegro v Georgia

March 9:         17:30, Montenegro v Spain
                     19:30, Georgia v Australia

March 10:        17:30, Spain v Georgia
                      19:30, Serbia v Greece

March 11        17:30, Montenegro v Serbia
                     19:30, Greece v Australia

March 12        17:30, Montenegro v Australia
                     19:30, Spain v Serbia

March 13        17:30, Greece v Georgia
                     19:30, Australia v Spain

March 14        17:30, Georgia v Serbia
                     19:30, Montenegro v Greece