Water polo at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships – Women's tournament facts for kids
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country |  Japan |
| Dates | 16–28 July |
| Teams | 16 (from 5 confederations) |
| Venue(s) | Marine Messe, Fukuoka |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Netherlands (2nd title) |
| Runner-up |  Spain |
| Third place |  Italy |
| Fourth place |  Australia |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches | 48 |
| Goals scored | 1157 (24.1 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | Judith Forca (23 goals) |
| Best player | Elena Ruiz |
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The women's water polo tournament at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships was a big competition. It happened from July 16 to 28, 2023. This was the 16th time women's water polo was played at these championships. The first time was in 1986.
Water polo is a team sport played in water. Players try to score goals by throwing a ball into the opponent's net. It's a bit like soccer or handball, but in a swimming pool!
The team from the Netherlands won the tournament. This was their second time winning this title. They beat Spain in an exciting final match.
Contents
How Teams Qualified
Teams had to qualify to play in this big tournament. Sixteen teams from around the world earned their spots. They qualified through different events. These included the 2022 World League and the 2022 World Championships. Other teams qualified through championships in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Japan, as the host country, automatically got a spot.
Team Groups and Matches
The 16 teams were divided into four groups: Group A, Group B, Group C, and Group D. Each group had four teams. Teams played against others in their group. This was called the preliminary round. The goal was to earn enough points to move on.
The top team from each group went straight to the quarterfinals. The second and third-place teams played in a special playoff round. This playoff decided which teams would join the top teams in the quarterfinals.
Knockout Stage: The Road to the Final
After the group games, the tournament moved to the knockout stage. This is where teams play single-elimination matches. If a team loses, they are out of the main competition.
Playoff Games
Teams that finished second or third in their groups played in the playoffs. These games decided who would advance to the quarterfinals. For example, Australia played Israel, and Spain played France. Italy played New Zealand, and Canada played South Africa.
Quarterfinals: The Top Eight Teams
The winners from the playoffs joined the group winners in the quarterfinals. Only eight teams were left at this point. The matches were:
- Italy beat the USA in a close game.
- The Netherlands won against Canada.
- Australia defeated Greece.
- Spain won against Hungary.
Semifinals: Final Four Teams
The winners of the quarterfinals moved to the semifinals. Only four teams remained.
- The Netherlands won a very close game against Italy.
- Spain beat Australia to reach the final.
Final Match: Netherlands vs. Spain
The final game was between the Netherlands and Spain. It was a very exciting match! The score was tied 12-12 at the end of regular time. This meant the winner had to be decided by a penalty shootout. The Netherlands won the shootout 5-4. This gave them their second championship title!
Third Place Game
Before the final, Italy and Australia played for the bronze medal. Italy won this game 16-14. They earned the third-place spot.
Final Standings
Here's how the teams finished in the tournament:
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
 |
Netherlands |
 |
Spain |
 |
Italy |
| 4 | Australia |
| 5 |  United States |
| 6 |  Hungary |
| 7 |  Canada |
| 8 |  Greece |
| 9 |  France |
| 10 |  Israel |
| 11 |  New Zealand |
| 12 |  South Africa |
| 13 |  China |
| 14 |  Japan |
| 15 |  Kazakhstan |
| 16 |  Argentina |
The Netherlands, as the champions, also qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Top Players and Awards
Many players showed amazing skill during the tournament.
Top Goal Scorers
Judith Forca from Spain was the top goal scorer. She scored 23 goals! Simone van de Kraats from the Netherlands was second with 20 goals.
Special Awards
Some players received special awards for their performance:
- The Most Valuable Player (MVP) award went to Elena Ruiz from Spain.
- The Best Goalkeeper award went to Laura Aarts from the Netherlands.
An "All-Star Team" was also chosen. This team included the best players in each position. It featured players like Yumi Arima (Japan), Roberta Bianconi (Italy), and Alice Williams (Australia).
