Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Water Polo World Championship match.
Italy and Serbia clash in a crucial Group A encounter at the World Championships, with both sides boasting rich histories in the sport. While Italy came up just short in the 2024 final against Croatia, Serbia were knocked out by the eventual champions in the quarter-finals — and now both nations are vying for top spot in the group.
Italy
Currently ranked seventh in the world, Italy remain a tournament mainstay. They reached the final in 2024 and have finished on the podium in three of the last four editions. However, their form on the biggest stages has been mixed — they only managed seventh place at the last Olympic Games. The Italians made a solid start to this campaign, dispatching Romania (ranked 14th) with relative ease, though the 17 goals scored weren’t overly convincing given the opposition. Moreover, Italy have struggled in recent meetings with Serbia — just two wins in their last eight head-to-heads.
Serbia
A powerhouse in the sport, Serbia are ranked inside the world’s top five and began this World Championship in emphatic fashion. They crushed South Africa (27:3) in their opener, showing both attacking firepower and defensive discipline. Since the start of 2024, Serbia have racked up 17 wins from 19 matches against teams outside the top five — a sign of their consistency against second-tier opposition.
Italy vs Serbia Prediction
While both sides are strong contenders in this group, Serbia enter the match in superior form and have a more convincing track record in recent head-to-heads. Italy remain a threat, but the Serbians have the edge across the board — expect them to take the win.
