Courtesy: LEN
The draw for the qualifications for the Men’s European U17 Water Polo Championships was conducted during the LEN Technical Water Polo Committee’s meeting.
Apart from Group A, the top two ranked sides of each group will join the already qualified sides at the championships, to be held in Manisa (TUR). Turkiye, as the host, shall go through from Group A, no matter which rank the team will take at the end of the tournament so from here the highest ranked side will qualify – though based on the power ranks, the Turks should battle for the top spot with host Georgia.
Teams drawn from the first two pots – appearing in the first two places below where the groups are shown – are the favourites anyway. However, Group B may see some hotly contested encounters as Germany, host Slovenia and France seem to be on the same level – and only two can make the cut.
The tournaments will take place on 16-19 March, while the Europeans kick off on 8 August.
As for the women, since LEN received 17 entries, no qualification is necessary, all teams shall play at the Championships, also to be held in Manisa, on 29 July–5 August.
Group A
- Georgia, Turkiye, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Cyprus
Group B
- Germany, Slovenia, France, Austria, Bulgaria
Group C
- Romania, Ukraine, Switzerland, Moldova, Ireland
Group D
- Malta, Slovakia, Great Britain, Poland, Latvia