Croatia U16 Water Polo World Championship hit by virus outbreak

The U16 World Water Polo Championship opened in Zagreb on 3 August 2026, featuring 36 national teams from all six continents. Croatia’s squad, coached by Bruno Sabioni, was scheduled to face Georgia, Australia, Malta and the Netherlands in the opening round.

In the days before the tournament, a viral illness spread through the team, disrupting training and forcing changes to the goalkeeper roster. Regular starter Ivan Šeparović was sidelined by illness, and the coaching staff added Karlo Gale from Medveščak as a last‑minute replacement. Sabioni said, “We have not been able to train together for the last ten days, and a virus has affected several players, including our goalkeepers. The championship will not be postponed; we will compete and hope to stay healthy.”

Despite the health concerns, the Croatian team proceeded with its matches as planned, aiming to perform strongly on home soil.