Paris 2024 water polo: Croatia v Serbia men's final preview, schedule and how to watch live
There will be a clash of the titans in the men’s water polo final between Croatia and Serbia on Sunday (11 August) at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
As if any more hype was needed between these two great rivals, it will be a rematch of the Rio 2016 final.
Serbia: Looking for the three-peat
Serbia comes into this final off the back of consecutive Olympic gold medals from Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, and they’re looking to get the three-peat.
Their journey to the final was marked by a commanding 10-6 victory over the United States in the semi-finals. Led by the indomitable Nikola Dedovic, who scored four goals, and Nikola Jaksic, who added three more, Serbia’s clinical efficiency in extra-player situations proved decisive. Serbia’s defence, anchored by goalkeeper Radoslav Filipovic, who made ten crucial saves, stifled the U.S. attack.
This resilience and ability to perform under pressure have been hallmarks of their campaign, and they’ll need every ounce of it against a determined Croatian side.
Croatia: Aiming to reclaim Olympic glory
Croatia, the 2024 World Champions, have their sights on reclaiming the Olympic title they last won in London 2012. Their path to the final has been spectacular, including a nail-biting 9-8 win over Hungary in the semi-finals. This victory was largely thanks to the flawless performance of Loren Fatovic, who scored five goals on five shots, demonstrating why he is one of the most dangerous players in the world right now.
Croatia’s campaign has been a testament to their resilience. After a mixed pool stage and a daunting quarter-final against the undefeated Spanish team, Croatia displayed their trademark grit, shutting down Spain’s offence in the first quarter and controlling the game en route to a 10-8 victory.
In the semi-final against Hungary, Croatia’s defence, led by goalkeeper Marko Bijac, held firm in the face of relentless pressure, particularly in the final minutes when Hungary pushed hard for an equaliser.
This final is a chance for Croatia to avenge their 2016 loss to Serbia and add an Olympic gold to their 2024 World Championship title. With players like Fatovic in top form and a defense that rises to the occasion when it matters most, Croatia is well-equipped to challenge Serbia’s dominance.
As the clock ticks down to the final on Sunday, 11 August, at 2pm local time, one thing is certain: water polo fans are in for a treat.
Men's water polo medal matches at Paris 2024
The gold and bronze medal matches of women’s water polo at Paris 2024 will take place on 10 August.
Bronze: Hungary vs United States
10:35 CET
14:00 CET
How to watch
All the action from Paris 2024, including the water polo, can be watched via media rights holders (MRHs).
MRHs include Nine in Australia, Globo in Brazil, CBC in Canada, CCTV in People's Republic of China, Fuji TV/NHK/Nippon TV/TBS/TV Asahi/TV Tokyo in Japan, SKY NZ in New Zealand, SuperSport in South Africa, NBC in the United States, and Discovery Eurosport across Europe, alongside France Télévisions in France, ARD/ZDF in Germany, and BBC Sport in the United Kingdom, among others.
Check listings in other regions for your local broadcaster.