The 2024 European Water Polo Championship will be held in Israel for the first time ever, the European Swimming League (LEN) European Aquatics announced on Friday.
“LEN – European Aquatics announces the next locations for the European Water Polo Championships,” according to the announcement shared on Twitter: “Tel Aviv (ISR) in 2024, and Belgrade (SRB) in 2026.”
BREAKING NEWS LEN - European Aquatics announces the next 2️⃣ locations for the European Water Polo Championships.Tel-Aviv (ISR) in 2024 and Belgrade (SRB) in 2026.More information coming to https://t.co/MTfCsBqdhA. pic.twitter.com/8BbwLcGU4I
— LEN - European Aquatics (@LENaquatics) May 13, 2022
Although this will be the first time Israel will have ever hosted the European championship, it did host age-group European competitions before, as well as the European Short-Course Swimming Championships, which were held in Netanya in 2015.
Israel’s men’s and women’s teams both qualified for the big stage for the first time in the state’s history and will be playing in the upcoming 2022 championships.
Both Israel's men's and women's teams qualified for the big stage for the first time in the state's history and will be playing in the upcoming 2022 championships.
For Olympic sports purposes, Israel is grouped with Europe under LEN, making it a viable candidate for hosting the competition.
As Israel's hosting opportunity was announced, so was that of Belgrade, which will be hosting the competition two years later in 2026.