This month has been quite unique for water polo, highlighted by an extraordinary event taking place in the lavish city of Doha, right in the desert, as the World Championship kicks off today.

For the ninth time, Montenegro joins the ranks of this monumental water polo event. This time, aspirations for medals may take a back seat, with all eyes focused on Paris and the upcoming Olympic qualifiers.

Montenegro’s water polo team will begin their World Cup journey at 15:30:32 against the USA. Within just the first few minutes, it will become apparent whether the “sharks” will navigate towards a smoother path to the Olympics or face a more challenging route.

“We know what the World Cup entails—our objective is to secure a spot in the Olympic Games, and we are committed to achieving it,” stated Vlado Popadić, a defender for Montenegro, from Qatar.

Alongside the Americans, Serbia and Japan are also in Group C with the “sharks”. The importance of today’s match is underscored by the competing teams in Group D—Italy, Hungary, Romania, and Kazakhstan—which Montenegro may face in the knockout rounds.

The leading teams from each group are guaranteed a place in the quarterfinals, while the second and third-placed teams will advance to the playoffs. A loss today against the USA could potentially position Montenegro to meet Italy or Hungary in the playoffs.

This scenario would complicate the path to the quarterfinals, which serves as a crucial stepping stone towards Paris.

“A victory would certainly simplify our progression to the next stages against Serbia and Japan. However, our focus is strictly on the Americans for now. We recognize the high stakes of each game, and we aim for a win to facilitate our path to the knockout phase,” Popadić elaborated.

Today’s matchup will not be easy. The USA has long been a formidable force in water polo, led by their experienced coach Dejan Udovicic and a roster filled with key players from Champions League clubs.

“Their coverage is robust across all positions,” emphasized coach Vladimir Gojković. “They have key players around whom their strategy revolves, but I believe we possess the talent to compete with them. We’ve prepared thoroughly and are hopeful for a successful outcome.”

The World Cup in Doha comes just twenty days after the European Championship held in Croatia.

“I believe we utilized our preparation period effectively—we focused on recovery and enhancing our form. This is essential, given the strength of our group and the significance of the opening game. I trust we have optimized our training and hope to translate that to success in the pool from the very beginning of the competition,” concluded Gojković.

Four coveted tickets to Paris are on the line in Doha, with Montenegro, Croatia, Serbia, and Italy among the strong contenders.

GROUP C, Schedule

Today

Japan – Serbia (14:00)

Montenegro – USA (15:30)

Wednesday

USA – Japan (10:00)

Montenegro – Serbia (11:30)

Friday

Montenegro – Japan (7:00)

Serbia – USA (15:30)

GROUP A, 1st Round

South Africa – Spain 5:21

Croatia – Australia (11:30)

GROUP B, 1st Round

China – Greece 6:24

Brazil – France (ongoing)

GROUP D, 1st Round

Italy – Kazakhstan (17:00)

Romania – Hungary (18:30)

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