Serbia water polo team faces new Olympic qualification rules

The Serbian national water polo team, the three-time consecutive Olympic champions from Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024, no longer holds a guaranteed spot for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games due to changes in qualification rules.

Under the new format, the World Cup will serve as a primary qualifying event, with the winner earning a direct ticket to the Olympics alongside the host, the United States. The tournament will be split into Division 1 and Division 2, with the top five teams from Division 1 and the top two from Division 2 advancing to a final tournament held in Greece.

Other qualification paths include continental championships for winners in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. The final three spots will be determined through a final qualification tournament. Additionally, the World Cup will influence seeding for the World Championships in Budapest. The Olympic tournament itself is expected to undergo format changes, moving to three groups of four teams and a shorter 11-day duration.