In Netanya, Israel—where Europe meets Asia—Montenegrin water polo players will discover their opponents for the European Championship tomorrow (Tuesday, 4 p.m.). This competition is set to take place in January.

The “Sharks” will be placed in the last hat but will belong to Division A, as this championship introduces a new format: teams will be divided into two divisions based on previous performance and qualifications.

Alongside Montenegro, Georgia is also in the fourth hat of the stronger division. Their potential challengers will include Croatia and Hungary (hat 1), Spain and Italy (hat 2), and Greece and France (hat 3).

Notably, Division 2 features the powerhouse Serbia, which aims to bounce back after an unsatisfactory outcome at the last European Championship.

The fifth hat consists of teams from that division, including the “Dolphins,” Netherlands, Germany, and Romania, while the sixth hat includes Israel, Malta, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

The top eight teams will form Division 1, with the remaining teams in Division 2. Both divisions will be split into two groups of four teams each.

The leading two teams from the Division 1 groups will progress to the quarterfinals, while the third and fourth placed teams will face the top two from the Division 2 groups in the round of 16.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYTQZr8ao5k

Winning in Netanya not only signifies a championship title but also secures a spot in the Olympic Games in Paris. If Hungary, Greece, or France—who already have Olympic qualification—win the European title, the next highest-ranked team will earn a place in Paris.

In addition to the European Championship in Netanya, Vladimir Gojković’s squad is also preparing for the World Championship in Doha next year, with hopes of participating in the Paris Games.

DIVISION 1

• Hat 1: Croatia, Hungary
• Hat 2: Spain, Italy
• Hat 3: Greece, France
• Hat 4: Montenegro, Georgia

DIVISION 2

• Hat 5: Netherlands, Germany, Serbia, Romania
• Hat 6: Israel, Malta, Slovakia, Slovenia

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