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Water polo at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids
Women's water polo
at the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad
Olympic rings without rims.svg
Tournament details
Host country  France
City Paris
Venue(s) Paris Aquatic Centre
Paris La Défense Arena
Dates 27 July – 10 August
Teams 10 (from 4 confederations)
Competitors 120
Final positions
Champions  Spain (1st title)
Runners-up  Australia
Third place  Netherlands
Fourth place  United States
Tournament statistics
Matches 32
Goals scored 638 (19.94 per match)
Top scorer(s) Alice Williams
(21 goals)
← 2020
2028 →

The women's water polo tournament at the 2024 Summer Olympics took place in Paris, France. It ran from July 27 to August 10, 2024. Games were held at the Paris Aquatic Centre and Paris La Défense Arena. This was the seventh time this tournament was part of the Olympic Games.

Spain won their first gold medal in women's water polo. They beat Australia in the final match. The Netherlands won the bronze medal game against the United States.

How Teams Qualified

Teams earned their spot in the Olympics in different ways. Some qualified through the 2023 World Aquatics Championships. Others made it by winning their continental championships. France, as the host country, automatically got a spot.

How the Tournament Worked

The ten teams were split into two groups, Group A and Group B. Each group had five teams.

Preliminary Round

In the first part, called the preliminary round, every team in a group played against every other team in their group once. Teams earned points for wins and ties.

Knockout Stage

The top four teams from each group moved on to the knockout stage. The teams that finished fifth in their groups were eliminated. The knockout stage started with quarterfinals. Winners went to the semifinals. The teams that lost in the quarterfinals played for places 5 to 8. The two semifinal winners played for the gold medal, and the two semifinal losers played for the bronze medal.

Game Schedule

The water polo competition started on July 27. Games were played every other day.


Legend
G Group stage ¼ Quarterfinals ½ Semifinals B Bronze medal match F Gold medal match
Sat 27 Sun 28 Mon 29 Tue 30 Wed 31 Thu 1 Fri 2 Sat 3 Sun 4 Mon 5 Tue 6 Wed 7 Thu 8 Fri 9 Sat 10
G G G G G ¼ ½ B F

Team Groups

The teams were put into groups on February 17, 2024, in Doha, Qatar. Teams were placed into five "pots" based on their rankings.

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4 Pot 5
 Netherlands
 Spain		  Australia
 Greece		  Hungary
 Italy		  China
 United States		  Canada
 France (hosts)

Referees

Twenty-four referees were chosen to officiate the games. They came from many different countries around the world.

  • Australia Nicholas Hodgers
  • Canada Hélène Painchaud
  • China Zhang Liang
  • Croatia Andrej Franulović
  • Egypt Yasser Mehalhel
  • France Aurélie Blanchard
  • France Sébastien Dervieux
  • Germany Frank Ohme
  • Greece Natalia Markopoulou
  • Greece Georgios Stavridis
  • Hungary Nóra Debreceni
  • Hungary Tamás Kovács
  • Italy Rafaele Colombo
  • Italy Alessia Ferrari
  • Japan Chisato Kurosaki
  • Montenegro Veselin Mišković
  • Netherlands Michiel Zwart
  • Romania Adrian Alexandrescu
  • Slovenia Boris Margeta
  • Serbia Vojin Putniković
  • Spain Marta Cabañas
  • Spain David Gómez
  • United States Jennifer McCall
  • United States Darren Spiritosanto

Preliminary Round Games

All game times are local (UTC+2).

Group A Standings

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts
Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference.

Group A Matches

27 July 2024 (2024-07-27)
14:00
v		 Netherlands  10–8  Hungary Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Alessia Ferrari (ITA), Sébastien Dervieux (FRA)
Score by quarters: 4–2, 0–1, 2–3, 4–2
B. Rogge 3 Goals Vályi 3
27 July 2024 (2024-07-27)
20:05
v		 Australia  7–5  China Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Jennifer McCall (USA), Aurélie Blanchard (FRA)
Score by quarters: 3–2, 2–1, 0–0, 2–2
Andrews 3 Goals Wang H. 2
29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)
18:30
v		 China  11–15  Netherlands Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Alessia Ferrari (ITA), Chisato Kurosaki (JPN)
Score by quarters: 4–1, 4–4, 1–5, 2–5
three players 2 Goals Keuning, Van der Sloot 3
29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)
20:05
v		 Hungary  12–7  Canada Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Natalia Markopoulou (GRE), Marta Cabañas (ESP)
Score by quarters: 4–1, 3–3, 1–1, 4–2
Gurisatti, Keszthelyi 3 Goals three players 2
31 July 2024 (2024-07-31)
14:00
v		 Netherlands  14–15  Australia Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Jennifer McCall (USA), Natalia Markopoulou (GRE)
Score by quarters: 3–1, 1–2, 1–3, 2–1  PSO: 7–8
Van de Kraats, Van der Sloot 2 Goals Green, Williams 2
31 July 2024 (2024-07-31)
15:35
v		 Canada  12–7  China Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Boris Margeta (SLO), Frank Ohme (GER)
Score by quarters: 4–0, 1–3, 4–1, 3–3
four players 2 Goals Deng 3
2 August 2024 (2024-08-02)
14:00
v		 Australia  10–7  Canada Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Alessia Ferrari (ITA), Georgios Stavridis (GRE)
Score by quarters: 1–1, 3–1, 5–2, 1–3
Halligan, Williams 3 Goals Wright 3
2 August 2024 (2024-08-02)
20:05
v		 China  11–17  Hungary Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Marta Cabañas (ESP), Aurélie Blanchard (FRA)
Score by quarters: 4–3, 3–5, 2–4, 2–5
Deng, Lu 3 Goals Keszthelyi 7
4 August 2024 (2024-08-04)
14:00
v		 Hungary  12–14  Australia Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Marta Cabañas (ESP), Adrian Alexandrescu (ROU)
Score by quarters: 1–1, 2–2, 2–3, 4–3  PSO: 3–5
Keszthelyi, Szilágyi 2 Goals Williams 4
4 August 2024 (2024-08-04)
18:30
v		 Canada  11–20  Netherlands Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Jennifer McCall (USA), Aurélie Blanchard (FRA)
Score by quarters: 4–5, 2–6, 3–4, 2–5
Bakoc 3 Goals L. Rogge 5

Group B Standings

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts
Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference.

Group B Matches

27 July 2024 (2024-07-27)
15:35
v		 Greece  6–15  United States Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Nóra Debreceni (HUN), Frank Ohme (GER)
Score by quarters: 0–3, 2–6, 2–3, 2–3
six players 1 Goals Flynn 4
27 July 2024 (2024-07-27)
18:30
v		 Spain  15–6  France Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Hélène Painchaud (CAN), Zhang Liang (CHN)
Score by quarters: 6–3, 3–1, 3–1, 3–1
Ruiz 4 Goals Dhalluin 3
29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)
14:00
v		 France  9–8  Italy Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Nóra Debreceni (HUN), Nicholas Hodgers (AUS)
Score by quarters: 1–3, 3–3, 2–1, 3–1
Dhalluin 3 Goals Bianconi 2
29 July 2024 (2024-07-29)
15:35
v		 United States  11–13  Spain Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Adrian Alexandrescu (ROU), Andrej Franulović (CRO)
Score by quarters: 3–2, 2–4, 4–5, 2–2
Raney 2 Goals Ortiz 5
31 July 2024 (2024-07-31)
18:30
v		 Italy  3–10  United States Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Hélène Painchaud (CAN), Vojin Putniković (SRB)
Score by quarters: 1–3, 1–3, 0–2, 1–2
Marletta 2 Goals Musselman 3
31 July 2024 (2024-07-31)
20:05
v		 Spain  10–8  Greece Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Adrian Alexandrescu (ROU), Veselin Mišković (MNE)
Score by quarters: 2–2, 3–3, 4–2, 1–1
Forca 4 Goals Eleftheriadou, Plevritou 2
2 August 2024 (2024-08-02)
15:35
v		 Greece  8–12  Italy Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Andrej Franulović (CRO), Nóra Debreceni (HUN)
Score by quarters: 3–4, 0–2, 2–2, 3–4
Eleftheriadou, Plevritou 3 Goals Palmieri 4
2 August 2024 (2024-08-02)
18:30
v		 United States  17–5  France Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Veselin Mišković (MNE), Nicholas Hodgers (AUS)
Score by quarters: 3–1, 4–2, 6–2, 4–0
Musselman 4 Goals Hertzka 2
4 August 2024 (2024-08-04)
15:35
v		 Italy  11–13  Spain Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Andrej Franulović (CRO), Frank Ohme (GER)
Score by quarters: 0–2, 4–3, 3–4, 4–4
Marletta 3 Goals Espar 3
4 August 2024 (2024-08-04)
20:05
v		 France  4–11  Greece Paris Aquatic Centre, Paris
Referees:
Vojin Putniković (SRB), Veselin Mišković (MNE)
Score by quarters: 1–2, 2–1, 1–3, 0–5
Vernoux 2 Goals Plevritou, Xenaki 3

Knockout Stage Games

This is where the competition got really exciting! Teams played single-elimination games.

Tournament Bracket

 
 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Gold medal
 
                    
 
 6 August
 
 
  Australia 9
 
 8 August
 
  Greece 6
 
  Australia (PSO) 8 (6)
 
 6 August
 
  United States 8 (5)
 
  Hungary 4
 
 10 August
 
  United States 5
 
 2  Australia 9
 
 6 August
 
 1 Spain 11
 
  Netherlands 11
 
 8 August
 
  Italy 8
 
  Netherlands 14 (4)
 
 6 August
 
  Spain (PSO) 14 (5) Bronze medal
 
  Canada 8
 
 10 August
 
  Spain 18
 
  United States 10
 
 
 3  Netherlands 11
 

Fifth Place Bracket

Teams that lost in the quarterfinals played extra games to decide places 5 through 8.

 
 5–8th place semifinals Fifth place
 
            
 
 8 August
 
 
  Greece 9
 
 10 August
 
  Hungary 12
 
  Hungary (PSO) 11 (4)
 
 8 August
 
  Italy 11 (1)
 
  Italy 10
 
 
  Canada 5
 
 Seventh place
 
 
 10 August
 
 
  Greece 19
 
 
  Canada 10

Quarterfinal Matches

These were the first knockout games.

6 August 2024 (2024-08-06)
14:00
v		 Canada  8–18  Spain Paris La Défense Arena, Paris
Referees:
Aurely Blanchard (FRA), Natalia Markopoulou (GRE)
Score by quarters: 1–6, 3–4, 0–3, 4–5
Bakoc 5 Goals Ruiz 4
6 August 2024 (2024-08-06)
15:35
v		 Netherlands  11–8  Italy Paris La Défense Arena, Paris
Referees:
Jennifer McCall (USA), Nóra Debreceni (HUN)
Score by quarters: 2–2, 3–2, 1–1, 5–3
four players 2 Goals Marletta 3
6 August 2024 (2024-08-06)
19:00
v		 Australia  9–6  Greece Paris La Défense Arena, Paris
Referees:
Alessia Ferrari (ITA), Sébastien Dervieux (FRA)
Score by quarters: 1–0, 3–3, 2–1, 3–2
Williams 5 Goals Xenaki 2
6 August 2024 (2024-08-06)
20:35
v		 Hungary  4–5  United States Paris La Défense Arena, Paris
Referees:
Vojin Putniković (SRB), Zhang Liang (CHN)
Score by quarters: 2–1, 0–2, 2–1, 0–1
four players 1 Goals Steffens 2

Semifinal Matches

The winners of these games played for the gold medal.

8 August 2024 (2024-08-08)
14:35
v		 Netherlands  18–19  Spain Paris La Défense Arena, Paris
Referees:
Boris Margeta (SLO), Alessia Ferrari (ITA)
Score by quarters: 1–6, 4–4, 6–1, 3–3  PSO: 4–5
Van de Kraats 4 Goals Forca 5
8 August 2024 (2024-08-08)
19:35
v		 Australia  14–13  United States Paris La Défense Arena, Paris
Referees:
Georgios Stavridis (GRE), Tamás Kovács (HUN)
Score by quarters: 1–2, 1–3, 4–2, 2–1  PSO: 6–5
Andrews 4 Goals Flynn, Musselman 2

Bronze Medal Game

This game decided who won the bronze medal.

10 August 2024 (2024-08-10)
10:35
v		 United States  10–11  Netherlands Paris La Défense Arena, Paris
Referees:
Marta Cabañas (ESP), Rafaele Colombo (ITA)
Score by quarters: 3–2, 4–1, 2–3, 1–5
three players 2 Goals Van der Sloot 6

Gold Medal Game

This was the final match to decide the Olympic champion!

10 August 2024 (2024-08-10)
15:35
v		 Australia  9–11  Spain Paris La Défense Arena, Paris
Referees:
Nóra Debreceni (HUN), Andrej Franulović (CRO)
Score by quarters: 2–2, 0–1, 3–4, 4–4
Williams 5 Goals Ortiz 4

Final Rankings

Here's how the teams finished in the tournament:

Rank Team
Gold medal icon.svg  Spain
Silver medal icon.svg  Australia
Bronze medal icon.svg  Netherlands
4  United States
5  Hungary
6  Italy
7  Greece
8  Canada
9  France
10  China

Top Goal Scorers

These players scored the most goals during the tournament:

Rank Name Goals Shots %
1 Alice Williams 21 48 44
2 Rita Keszthelyi 19 46 41
Beatriz Ortiz 34 56
4 Elena Ruiz 18 40 45
5 Claudia Marletta 16 39 41
6 Judith Forca 14 36 39
Sabrina van der Sloot 23 61
8 Abby Andrews 13 37 35
Jenna Flynn 28 46
Maddie Musselman 34 38
Simone van de Kraats 36 36
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