by croatiaweek
July 11, 2025
in
(Photo: Croatian Water Polo Federation)
Croatia’s men’s water polo team is set to begin the defence of their world title at the 22nd World Championships in Singapore, starting Saturday 12 July.
The Barakudas, who became world champions for the third time in Doha in February 2024, arrive in Singapore ranked number one in the world by World Aquatics.
This marks Croatia’s 16th appearance at the tournament, where they have won eight medals to date – three golds, one silver and four bronzes.
More impressively, Croatia have reached the semi-finals in nine of the last ten editions of the championships, winning a medal in all but two – Debrecen/Budapest in 2022 (4th place) and Fukuoka in 2023 (9th place).
The team touched down in Singapore on Thursday after travelling from Hong Kong and are reported to be in full health, with no injuries or illnesses. Acclimatisation to the local climate and time zone has also gone smoothly.
“All is well, thank God,” said captain Marko Bijač. “We are ready. We had good preparation, no major injuries. The conditions are great. The pool is nice, the hotel is good, and the food is too. We cannot wait for our first match.”
Croatia’s first opponent is China, a team coached by Croatian Ivan Asić with assistant Marin Kliškinjić. Despite the familiarity, Croatia go into the match as clear favourites.
“We beat them convincingly in Doha,” Bijač added. “Still, the first match always carries weight, especially as we get used to the pool. We need to be focused and professional. This match should also serve as preparation for two key games against Montenegro and Greece.”
Loren Fatović echoed the sentiment, saying, “With the level we are expected to perform at, this first game should not be too difficult if we do our job. We respect China, but we are better. The real tests will follow, but we aim to reach the quarter-finals no matter what. Once we are at our best, we fear no one.”
The opening match in Singapore will also mark a milestone – Croatia’s 100th match at a World Championships.
Croatia’s matches: All games will be live on HRT (times shown in Croatian time)
12.07 – v China (6.10am)
14.07 – v Montenegro (11.35 am)
16.07 – v Greece (11.35 am)
All games will be live on HRT (times shown in Croatian time)
(Photo: Croatian Water Polo Federation)
Group winners will progress directly to the quarter-finals. Second and third-placed teams will play cross-over matches in a play-off format: D2 vs C3 and D3 vs C2. Fourth-placed teams will compete for places 13 to 16.