Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Water Polo World Championship match.
In the final round of Group B at the World Championship, two of the tournament's leading contenders go head-to-head — Spain and Hungary, currently ranked second and third in the world, respectively.
Spain
So far in 2025, Spain have suffered just one defeat — a narrow 11:12 loss to Hungary. Since then, the team has put together a run of ten straight victories. However, their displays at the World Championship have not been entirely convincing. They edged past Japan (22:16) and only just overcame Australia (10:7), despite losing both the third and fourth quarters. Their encounter with Hungary will be a stern test, especially given that they have won only six of their 23 previous meetings, with just two of those victories coming by a margin of three goals or more.
Hungary
Hungary have lost only twice in eight matches in 2025, with both defeats coming at the hands of elite teams — Spain and Greece. Their start to the World Championship has been far more assured, dismantling Australia (18:6) and winning every quarter in a 23:18 victory over Japan. Hungary have also consistently performed well at major tournaments, having claimed the 2023 World Championship title and finishing fourth at the 2024 Olympic Games.
Spain vs Hungary Prediction
Despite a heavy 9:15 loss to Spain earlier this year, Hungary have shown solid form throughout this tournament. Historically, the Hungarians have rarely been beaten by large margins in this fixture. That trend is likely to continue, making Hungary with a +2.5 goal handicap the most reliable option.
