Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The third U16 Women's Water Polo World Championship is underway in Zagreb, with 24 national teams competing in a single group format. This marks an increase from previous editions, which featured 13 and 22 teams.
The schedule includes 84 matches across seven days, held in two pools with up to 12 matches per day, providing teams maximum international experience.
Team rankings during group play use a percentage-based system that evaluates wins and losses against opponents' strengths. The top eight teams advance directly to the quarterfinals, while the rest compete in classification and final matches to determine overall placings.
Historically, Hungary and Spain are the only teams to earn medals in all previous editions: Hungary won the inaugural championship in 2022 and took silver last time, while Spain placed third in 2022 and won the most recent event. This year, Spain seeks its second U16 women's water polo title.
The tournament's opening day featured a series of group matches with national teams including Spain vs. Serbia and the United States vs. Peru, among others.