Montenegro’s water polo team is gearing up for their campaign in Doha, where they will compete in the World Championship from February 5 to 17, with hopes of qualifying for the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.

The “Sharks” finished in sixth place at the recent European Championship in Croatia and, after a brief period of rest, will resume training in Trebinje until January 27. They plan to head to Bucharest before departing for Qatar on February 2, as announced by the Water Polo and Swimming Association of Montenegro.

Head coach Vladimir Gojković revealed the roster for the World Cup preparations, featuring many of the same players who participated in the European Championship.

The squad includes 20 players, with the only change being the inclusion of Vuk Drašković in place of Bogdan Đurđić.

Last summer, at the World Championship in Fukuoka, Đurđić played in only the first two matches against South Africa and Spain, and he was not included in the 15-player squad for the recent European Championship.

The team will prepare with goalkeepers Petar Tešanović, Dejan Lazović, and Darko Đurović, along with Draško Brguljan, Stefan Vidović, Vlado Popadić, Vladan Spaić, Kanstantin Averka, Aleksa Ukropina, Dušan Banićević, Đuro Radović, Dušan Matković, Aljoša Mačić, Martin Gardašević, Miroslav Perković, Vuk Drašković, Vasilije Radović, Jovan Vujović, and Marko Mršić.

This summer, Montenegro finished seventh at the World Championship, reaching the quarter-finals before being eliminated by Greece. In Doha, securing a spot in the top eight is crucial for earning a place in the Olympic Games, which is the team’s main focus.

At first glance, reaching the quarter-finals may seem straightforward, but Montenegro faces a challenging group at the World Championship, competing against Serbia, the USA, and Japan. If they finish third in Group C, they could face Hungary or Italy in the round of 16, with Italy also vying for an Olympic berth, making qualification to Paris uncertain.

The national team kicks off the tournament on February 5 against the USA, followed by matches against Serbia on February 7 and Japan on February 9.

The top teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, while second- and third-placed teams will compete in a playoff to secure a spot in the top eight.

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