Fukuoka World Championships: the National teams rounds have been drawn. The first Olympic passes are up for grabs

The opponents of the Italian national teams at the 2023 World Water Polo Championships have been decided. The group draw was held today in Athens (Greece) for the 20th edition of the world championship event scheduled in Fukuoka (Japan) from 16 to 29 July.

Carlo Silipo’s Setterosa team was drawn in Group C, where they will face Brazil, South Africa and Greece.

Alessandro Campagna's Settebello, meanwhile, will compete in the first phase in Group B against France, Canada, and China. As the first qualifying event of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the World Championships will have as many as four five-ring passes up for grabs, for two finalist national teams per gender.

“We can ease ourselves into the event", declared Silipo. “In the first two days we will meet Brazil and South Africa, opponents we must respect but who are within our reach. Then another tournament will begin: beating Greece would be important to get an extra day’s rest and, above all, to avoid the United States in the quarter-finals", concluded the coach of the Setterosa.

“It is a group that is certainly within our reach", Campagna commented. “We have been lucky, even if France is a team that is currently on the rise. Then from the quarter-finals the real challenges will begin. I am convinced that all the strongest world water polo teams will want to avoid us: over the next few months we will look to improve and live up to this great event in 2023", explained the coach of the Settebello.