With the eagerly awaited 2026/27 club season set to begin with the Champions League qualification tournaments on the weekend of 18-20 September, European Aquatics has announced its list of water polo officials for the forthcoming year.
With a continued commitment to the highest standards of refereeing across the continent, European Aquatics’ pathway for technical officials is designed to provide all clubs and players with the best possible platform on which to compete.
For the 2026/27 season, 199 referees from 38 member federations feature on the European Aquatics Referees List, highlighting the continued growth and international reach of the prestigious officiating programme.
Importantly, the number of women referees continues to increase season after season, reflecting European Aquatics’ commitment to greater equality across the sport.
The new water polo delegates pool comprises 58 delegates, alongside three members of the European Aquatics Delegates and Referees Committee, meaning 61 officials will serve as delegates during the 2026/27 season.
For the full list of European Aquatics Water Polo officials, click here.
All officials must also demonstrate the required level of knowledge and performance through the Intermediate Certification Clinic 2026/27, which will take place in Tbilisi, Georgia, from 11-13 September.
With water polo constantly evolving, regular training, video analysis and a detailed understanding of the latest rules are essential to ensuring referees meet the demands of the modern game and the integrity of the sport is maintained across all competitions.
European Aquatics encourages all member federations to also provide further education and development programmes, while remaining ready to support each nation throughout the process.
“The development of our officials is fundamental to the growth and integrity of the sport,” said Dejan Perisic, European Aquatics’ Water Polo Technical Officials Manager.
“Players and clubs deserve the highest standards, and that can only be achieved through continuous education, assessment and improvement.
“For the 2026/27 season, we are particularly pleased to see more women qualifying as referees and technical officials across our member federations.”
European Aquatics also remains committed to the education of all jury table officials and the certification process for these roles will remain open throughout the season and can be accessed by clicking here.