The schedule for the water polo tournament at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has been announced by the International Olympic Committee and FINA.
The competition will run from Saturday 25th July to Sunday 9th August, with all the matches being played at the 3,635-capacity Tatsumi International Swimming Centre in the Koto area of central Tokyo.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Aquatics schedule
The women’s competition will begin on day one (Saturday 25th July) of the Games, with the men’s competition starting the following day (Sunday 26th July), and the women’s finals will take place on Saturday 8th August and the men’s finals on Sunday 9th August.
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Water Polo Schedule
As usual, 12 men’s teams will compete for a place on the medal podium, while – for the first time at an Olympic Games – 10 women’s teams will contest the women’s competition (an increase of two from previous editions).
The men’s qualification process will see the hosts (Japan) participate, alongside the World League champions, the top two teams from the World Championships (who haven’t already qualified), the best team (who haven’t already qualified) from each of the five continental Olympic qualification tournaments, and the three top teams at the Olympic qualifying tournament.
While the women’s qualification process will see the hosts (Japan) competing, plus the World League winners, the top team in the World Championships (who haven’t already qualified), the best team (who haven’t already qualified) from each of the five continental Olympic qualification tournaments, and the two top teams at an Olympic qualifying tournament.
The five continental qualification tournaments are as follows – the 2019 Pan American Games, Oceanian Continental Selection*, 2019 Asian Championships, 2020 European Championships and African Qualification*.
*Tournament format still TBC.