2018 FINA Women's Water Polo World League
# 2018 FINA Women's Water Polo World League

The 2018 FINA Women's Water Polo World League was the 15th edition of the annual women's international water polo tournament. It was played between November 2017 and June 2018 and open to all women's water polo national teams. After participating in a preliminary round, eight teams qualified to play in a final tournament, called the Super Final from 28 May to 2 June 2018.

In the world league, there are specific rules that do not allow matches to end in a draw. If teams are level at the end of the 4th quarter of any world league match, the match will be decided by a penalty shootout. Teams earn points in the standings in group matches as follows:

* Match won in normal time - 3 points
* Match won in shootout - 2 points
* Match lost in shootout - 1 point
* Match lost in normal time - 0 points

## Europe

* November 21, 2017 – May 1, 2018

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Spain | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 60 | 56 | +4 | 11 | Super Final | — | 9–8 | 10–11 | 12–12 (3–1) |
| 2 | Russia | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 59 | 59 | 0 | 9 | Super Final | 7–9 | — | 9–6 | 13–11 |
| 3 | Netherlands | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 54 | 54 | 0 | 9 | Super Final | 8–11 | 12–13 | — | 7–6 |
| 4 | Hungary | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 56 | 60 | −4 | 7 | | 10–9 | 12–9 | 5–10 | — |

## Inter-Continental Cup

* April 3–8, 2018, Auckland, New Zealand

### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Canada | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 28 | +13 | 9 | Super Final | — | | 15–13 | |
| 2 | China | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 23 | +8 | 6 | Quarterfinals | 10–11 | — | 11–7 | 10–5 |
| 3 | Japan | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 33 | −4 | 3 | Quarterfinals | | | — | |
| 4 | New Zealand (H) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 34 | −17 | 0 | Quarterfinals | 5–15 | | 7–9 | — |

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Australia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 11 | +8 | 6 | Quarterfinals | — | | | |
| 2 | United States | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 15 | +6 | 3 | Quarterfinals | 8–9 | — | 13–6 | |
| 3 | Kazakhstan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 23 | −14 | 0 | Quarterfinals | 3–10 | | — | |
| 4 | New Zealand 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 2–20 | 2–24 | 5–19 | — |

* ↑ New Zealand was represented by 2nd team
* ↑ Matches of New Zealand 2 are not counted in the competition

**5th–8th place bracket**

| 5th–8th place classification | 5th–8th place classification | 5th place match | 5th place match |
| - | - | - | - |
| 7 April | 7 April |
| Kazakhstan (pen.) | 14 (4) |
| Kazakhstan (pen.) | 14 (4) | 8 April | 8 April |
| New Zealand | 14 (3) | 8 April | 8 April |
| New Zealand | 14 (3) | Kazakhstan | 9 |
| 7 April | 7 April | | Kazakhstan | 9 |
| 7 April | 7 April | Japan | 11 |
| Japan | | Japan | 11 |
| New Zealand 2 | | | |
| New Zealand 2 | | 7th place match | 7th place match |
| | | 8 April | 8 April |
| | | New Zealand | |
| | | New Zealand 2 | |

**Championship bracket**

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | | Gold medal match | Gold medal match |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 6 April | 6 April | | | |
| China | 9 | | | |
| China | 9 | 7 April | 7 April | | |
| Kazakhstan | 6 | 7 April | 7 April | |
| Kazakhstan | 6 | China | 7 | |
| 6 April | 6 April | | China | 7 | |
| 6 April | 6 April | Australia | 8 | |
| New Zealand | 4 | Australia | 8 | |
| New Zealand | 4 | | | | 8 April | 8 April |
| Australia | 15 | | | | 8 April | 8 April |
| Australia | 15 | | | | Australia | 7 |
| 6 April | 6 April | | | | | Australia | 7 |
| 6 April | 6 April | | | | United States | 10 |
| Japan | 9 | | | | United States | 10 |
| Japan | 9 | 7 April | 7 April | | | |
| United States | 16 | 7 April | 7 April | | | |
| United States | 16 | United States | 16 | | | |
| 6 April | 6 April | | United States | 16 | | | |
| 6 April | 6 April | Canada | 11 | | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match |
| Canada | | Canada | 11 | | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match |
| Canada | | | | | 8 April | 8 April |
| New Zealand 2 | | | | | 8 April | 8 April |
| New Zealand 2 | | | | | China | 8 |
| | | | | | Canada | 9 |

### Final ranking

* Qualified to Super Final

| Rank | Team |
| - | - |
| | United States |
| | Australia |
| | Canada |
| 4 | China |
| 5 | Japan |
| 6 | Kazakhstan |
| 7 | New Zealand |

## Super Final

May 28 – June 2, 2018, Kunshan, China In the Super Final the eight qualifying teams are split into two groups of four teams with all teams progressing to the knock-out stage.

### Qualified teams

| Africa | Americas | Asia | Europe | Oceania |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| — | Canada United States | China (Host) Japan | Netherlands Russia Spain | Australia |

### Seeding

| Group A | Group B |
| - | - |
| Australia (2nd ICC) Spain (1st Europe) China (4th ICC) (Host) Netherlands (3rd Europe) | United States (1st ICC) Russia (2nd Europe) Canada (3rd ICC) Japan (5th ICC) |

### Preliminary round

**Group A**

All times are CST (UTC+8)

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Netherlands | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 18 | +6 | 9 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Spain | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 22 | +7 | 6 | Quarterfinals |
| 3 | China (H) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 29 | −8 | 3 | Quarterfinals |
| 4 | Australia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 25 | −5 | 0 | Quarterfinals |
| 28 May 2018 18:00 | Australia | 5–7 | Netherlands | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 28 May 2018 20:00 | Spain | 13–6 | China | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 29 May 2018 16:30 | Spain | 6–7 | Netherlands | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 29 May 2018 19:30 | Australia | 6–8 | China | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 30 May 2018 16:30 | Spain | 10–9 | Australia | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 30 May 2018 19:30 | China | 7–10 | Netherlands | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||

**Group B**

All times are CST (UTC+8)

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | United States | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 16 | +20 | 9 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Canada | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 25 | +4 | 6 | Quarterfinals |
| 3 | Russia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 38 | 31 | +7 | 3 | Quarterfinals |
| 4 | Japan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 49 | −31 | 0 | Quarterfinals |
| 28 May 2018 15:00 | Russia | 9–11 | Canada | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 28 May 2018 16:30 | United States | 14–4 | Japan | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 29 May 2018 15:00 | Russia | 22–10 | Japan | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 29 May 2018 18:00 | United States | 12–5 | Canada | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 30 May 2018 15:00 | Russia | 7–10 | United States | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 30 May 2018 18:00 | Canada | 13–4 | Japan | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||

### Final round

**5th–8th place bracket**

| 5th–8th place classification | 5th–8th place classification | 5th place match | 5th place match |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 June | 1 June |
| Spain | 11 |
| Spain | 11 | 2 June | 2 June |
| Australia | 8 | 2 June | 2 June |
| Australia | 8 | Spain | 10 |
| 1 June | 1 June | | Spain | 10 |
| 1 June | 1 June | China | 5 |
| China | 8 | China | 5 |
| Japan | 7 | | |
| Japan | 7 | 7th place match | 7th place match |
| | | 2 June | 2 June |
| | | Australia | 10 |
| | | Japan | 7 |

**5th–8th place classification**

All times are CST (UTC+8)

| 1 June 2018 15:00 | Spain | 11–8 | Australia | Kunshan, China |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 1 June 2018 16:30 | China | 8–7 | Japan | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||

**7th place match**

All times are CST (UTC+8)

| 2 June 2018 15:00 | Australia | 10–7 | Japan | Kunshan, China |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Kunshan, China |||

**5th place match**

All times are CST (UTC+8)

| 2 June 2018 16:30 | Spain | 10–5 | China | Kunshan, China |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Kunshan, China |||

**5th place match**

**Championship bracket**

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | | Gold medal match | Gold medal match |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 31 May | 31 May | | | |
| Spain | 11 | | | |
| Spain | 11 | 1 June | 1 June | | |
| Russia | 12 | 1 June | 1 June | |
| Russia | 12 | Russia | 3 | |
| 31 May | 31 May | | Russia | 3 | |
| 31 May | 31 May | United States | 8 | |
| Australia | 1 | United States | 8 | |
| Australia | 1 | | | | 2 June | 2 June |
| United States | 12 | | | | 2 June | 2 June |
| United States | 12 | | | | United States | 8 |
| 31 May | 31 May | | | | | United States | 8 |
| 31 May | 31 May | | | | Netherlands | 6 |
| China | 2 | | | | Netherlands | 6 |
| China | 2 | 1 June | 1 June | | | |
| Canada | 5 | 1 June | 1 June | | | |
| Canada | 5 | Canada | 5 | | | |
| 31 May | 31 May | | Canada | 5 | | | |
| 31 May | 31 May | Netherlands | 11 | | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match |
| Netherlands | 18 | Netherlands | 11 | | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match |
| Netherlands | 18 | | | | 2 June | 2 June |
| Japan | 7 | | | | 2 June | 2 June |
| Japan | 7 | | | | Russia | 7 |
| | | | | | Canada | 6 |

**Quarterfinals**

All times are CST (UTC+8)

| 31 May 2018 15:00 | Spain | 11–12 | Russia | Kunshan, China |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 31 May 2018 16:30 | Netherlands | 18–7 | Japan | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 31 May 2018 18:00 | Australia | 1–12 | United States | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 31 May 2018 19:30 | China | 2–5 | Canada | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||

**Semifinals**

All times are CST (UTC+8)

| 1 June 2018 18:00 | Russia | 3–8 | United States | Kunshan, China |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 1 June 2018 19:30 | Canada | 5–11 | Netherlands | Kunshan, China |
| Kunshan, China |||

**Bronze medal match**

All times are CST (UTC+8)

| 2 June 2018 18:00 | Russia | 7–6 | Canada | Kunshan, China |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 2 June 2018 18:00 | Prokofyeva 3 four players 1 | Goals | Wright 3 three players 1 | Kunshan, China |

**Gold medal match**

All times are CST (UTC+8)

| 2 June 2018 19:30 | United States | 8–6 | Netherlands | Kunshan, China |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Kunshan, China |||
| 2 June 2018 19:30 | Fattal 3 Seidemann 2 Hauschild, Steffens, Williams 1 | Goals | van der Sloot 3 Genee, Megens, Sleeking 1 | Kunshan, China |

### Final ranking

| Rank | Team |
| - | - |
| | United States |
| | Netherlands |
| | Russia |
| 4 | Canada |
| 5 | Spain |
| 6 | China |
| 7 | Australia |
| 8 | Japan |

* 2018 FINA Women's Water Polo World League
* United States 12th title

### Individual awards

* Most Valuable Player
   * Sabrina van der Sloot (NED)
* Best Goalkeeper
   * Ashleigh Johnson (USA)
* Top Scorer
   * Maud Megens (NED) — 15 goals
