This article presents the national team appearances in the women's Olympic water polo tournament since the inaugural official edition in 2000.

As of 2016, Thirteen women's national water polo teams from five continents have competed at the Summer Olympics. Four teams have won all five tournaments. The inaugural winners in 2000 were Australia; the current champions are United States. The most successful team is currently United States women's team, who has won the Olympic title on two occasions.

Abbreviations Apps Appearances Rk Rank Ref Reference p. page pp. pages

Team statistics Comprehensive team results by tournament

Debut of teams Last updated: 7 January 2024.

Legend Team* – Host team

# Year Debuting teams Number Cumulative total Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania 1 2000 – , , 6 6 2 2004 – – – , , – 3 9 3 2008 – – – – 1 10 4 2012 – – – , – 2 12 5 2016 – – – – 1 13 6 2020 – – – 2 15 7 2024 – – – – 1 16 Total 1 3 3 8 1 16 16

Number of appearances by team

Results of host teams Last updated: 7 August 2021.

Legend and abbreviation Year* – As host team Finish‡ – It is the best performance of the team Apps – Appearances

# Year Host team Finish Best finish Apps Confederation 1 2000 1st‡ of 6 teams Champions (2000*) 5 Oceania – OSA 2 2004 2nd‡ of 8 teams Runners-up (2004*) 2 Europe – LEN 3 2008 5th‡ of 8 teams Fifth place (2008*, 2012) 3 Asia – AASF 4 2012 8th‡ of 8 teams Eighth place (2012*) 1 Europe – LEN 5 2016 8th‡ of 8 teams Eighth place (2016*) 1 Americas – UANA 6 2020 9th‡ of 10 teams Ninth place (2020*) 1 Asia – AASF

Results of defending champions and runners-up Last updated: 7 August 2021.

Legend Team* – Host team

# Year Defending champions Finish Defending runners-up Finish 1 2000 2 2004 4th of 8 teams 3rd of 8 teams 3 2008 6th of 8 teams 8th of 8 teams 4 2012 did not qualify 1st of 8 teams 5 2016 1st of 8 teams 5th of 8 teams 6 2020 1st of 10 teams did not qualify

Best finishes by team

Finishes in the top four

Medal table

Longest active appearance droughts The following table is pre-sorted by number of Olympic tournaments missed (in descending order), year of the last appearance (in ascending order), name of the team (in ascending order), respectively. Last updated: 7 August 2021.

Notes: Does not include teams that have not yet made their first appearance at the Olympics or teams that no longer exist.

Legend Year* – As host team

+ Longest active appearance droughts Rk Women's team Last appearance Olympics missed Best finish Confederation 1 2004 4 Sixth place Asia – AASF 2 2008 3 Runners-up Europe – LEN 3 2012* 2 Eighth place Europe – LEN 4 2016* 1 Eighth place Americas – UANA 2016 1 Champions Europe – LEN 6 2020 0 Champions Oceania – OSA 2020 0 Fifth place Americas – UANA 2020 0 Fifth place Asia – AASF 2020 0 Fourth place Europe – LEN 2020* 0 Ninth place Asia – AASF 2020 0 Champions Europe – LEN 2020 0 Third place Europe – LEN 2020 0 Tenth place Africa – CANA 2020 0 Runners-up Europe – LEN 2020 0 Champions Americas – UANA Rk Women's team Last appearance Olympics missed Best finish Confederation

Longest appearance droughts overall The following table is pre-sorted by number of Olympic tournaments missed (in descending order), year of the previous appearance (in ascending order), name of the team (in ascending order), respectively. Last updated: 7 August 2021.

Notes: Only includes droughts begun after a team's first appearance and until the team ceased to exist. With the exception of 1916, 1940 and 1944, does not include droughts when the Olympic tournament was not held due to World War I and II.

Legend Year* – As host team Team† – Defunct team

+ Longest appearance droughts overall Rk Women's team Prev. appearance Next appearance Olympics missed Best finish Confederation 1 2004 active 4 Sixth place Asia – AASF 2 2004 2020 3 Fifth place Americas – UANA 2008 active 3 Runners-up Europe – LEN 4 2008 2020 2 Champions Europe – LEN 2012* active 2 Eighth place Europe – LEN 6 2016* active 1 Eighth place Americas – UANA 2016 active 1 Champions Europe – LEN 8 2020 active 0 Champions Oceania – OSA 2020 active 0 Fifth place Asia – AASF 2020 active 0 Fourth place Europe – LEN 2020* active 0 Ninth place Asia – AASF 2020 active 0 Third place Europe – LEN 2020 active 0 Tenth place Africa – CANA 2020 active 0 Runners-up Europe – LEN 2020 active 0 Champions Americas – UANA Rk Women's team Prev. appearance Next appearance Olympics missed Best finish Confederation

Team records Teams having equal quantities in the tables below are ordered by the tournament the quantity was attained in (the teams that attained the quantity first are listed first). If the quantity was attained by more than one team in the same tournament, these teams are ordered alphabetically. Last updated: 7 August 2021.

Legend Year* – As host team

Appearances Most appearances 6, Australia, United States (have participated in every tournament). Most appearances, never winning a title 5, Russia (has participated in every tournament). Most appearances, never finishing in the top two 5, Russia (has participated in every tournament). Most appearances, never winning a medal 4, China (2008*, 2012, 2016, 2020). Most appearances, never finishing in the top four 4, China (2008*, 2012, 2016, 2020). Fewest appearances 1, Great Britain (2012*), Brazil (2016*), Japan (2020*), ROC (2020), South Africa (2020). Fewest appearances, winning a title 3, Netherlands (2008). Fewest appearances, finishing in the top two 2, Greece (2004*). Fewest appearances, winning a medal 2, Greece (2004*). Fewest appearances, finishing in the top four 2, Greece (2004*).

Top four Most titles won 3, United States (2012, 2016, 2020). Most second-place finishes 2, United States (2000, 2008), Spain (2012, 2020). Most third-place finishes 2, Australia (2008, 2012), Russia (2000, 2016). Most fourth-place finishes 3, Hungary (2008, 2012, 2016). Most finishes in the top two 5, United States (2000, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020). Most finishes in the top two, never winning a title 2, Spain (2012, 2020). Most finishes in the top three 6, United States (has been medaled in every tournament). Most finishes in the top three, never winning a title 2, Russia (2000, 2016), Spain (2012, 2020). Most finishes in the top three, never finishing in the top two 2, Russia (2000, 2016). Most finishes in the top four 6, United States (has finished in the top four in every tournament). Most finishes in the top four, never winning a title 4, Hungary (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020). Most finishes in the top four, never finishing in the top two 4, Hungary (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020). Most finishes in the top four, never winning a medal 1, ROC (2020). Fewest finishes in the top two, winning a title 1, Australia (2000*), Netherlands (2008). Fewest finishes in the top three, winning a title 1, Netherlands (2008). Fewest finishes in the top three, finishing in the top two 1, Greece (2004*), Netherlands (2008). Fewest finishes in the top four, winning a title 2, Netherlands (2000, 2008), Italy (2004, 2016). Fewest finishes in the top four, finishing in the top two 1, Greece (2004*). Fewest finishes in the top four, winning a medal 1, Greece (2004*).

Consecutive Most consecutive titles won 3, United States (2012–2016–2020). Most consecutive second-place finishes None. Most consecutive third-place finishes 2, Australia (2008–2012). Most consecutive fourth-place finishes 3, Hungary (2008–2012–2016). Most consecutive finishes in the top two 4, United States (2008–2012–2016–2020). Most consecutive finishes in the top three 6, United States (has been medaled in every tournament). Most consecutive finishes in the top four 6, United States (has finished in the top four in every tournament). Most consecutive appearances 6, Australia, United States (have participated in every tournament). Biggest improvement in position in consecutive tournaments Did not participate/qualify, then won the title, Italy (2000–2004), Netherlands (2004–2008).

Gaps Longest gap between successive titles None. Longest gap between successive second-place finishes 9 years, Spain (2012, 2020). Longest gap between successive third-place finishes 16 years, Russia (2000, 2016). Longest gap between successive fourth-place finishes None. Longest gap between successive appearances in the top two 12 years, Italy (2004–2016). Longest gap between successive appearances in the top three 16 years, Russia (2000–2016). Longest gap between successive appearances in the top four 16 years, Russia (2000–2016). Longest gap between successive appearances 17 years, Canada (2004–2020).

Debuting teams Best finish by a debuting team Champions, Australia (2000*), Italy (2004). Worst finish by a debuting team 10th position (last position), South Africa (2020).

Host teams Best finish by host team Champions: Australia (2000*). Worst finish by host team 9th position, Japan (2020*). Best finish by last host team 4th position, Australia (2004). Worst finish by last host team Did not participate/qualify, Great Britain (2016), Brazil (2020). Worst finish by last host team that participates in the tournament 8th position (last position), Greece (2008). Had its best performance as hosts Champions, Australia (2000*).Runners-up, Greece (2004*).5th position, China (2008*).8th position, Great Britain (2012*), Brazil (2016*).9th position, Japan (2020*). Had its worst performance as hosts 8th position, Great Britain (2012*), Brazil (2016*).9th position, Japan (2020*).

Defending champions Best finish by defending champions Champions, United States (2016, 2020). Worst finish by defending champions Did not participate/qualify, Netherlands (2012). Worst finish by defending champions that participates in the next tournament 6th position, Italy (2008).

Defending runners-up Best finish by defending runners-up Champions, United States (2012). Worst finish by defending runners-up Did not participate/qualify, Italy (2020). Worst finish by defending runners-up that participates in the next tournament 8th position (last position), Greece (2008).

Population Most populous country, participant China (2020), 1,411,099,000 (source) Least populous country, participant Hungary (2020), 9,750,000 (source) Most populous country, hosts China (2008*), 1,324,655,000 (source) Least populous country, hosts Greece (2004*), 10,955,000 (source) Most populous country, champions United States (2020), 331,449,000 (source) Least populous country, champions Netherlands (2008), 16,446,000 (source) Most populous country, runners-up United States (2008), 304,375,000 (source) Least populous country, runners-up Greece (2004*), 10,955,000 (source) Most populous country, third place United States (2004), 293,046,000 (source) Least populous country, third place Hungary (2020), 9,750,000 (source) Most populous country, fourth place Australia (2004), 19,895,000 (source) Least populous country, fourth place Hungary (2016), 9,830,485 (source)

Confederation statistics Number of teams by confederation This is a summary of the total number of participating teams by confederation in each tournament. Last updated: 7 August 2021.

Legend – Forthcoming tournament

Confederation ! 2000 ! 2004 ! 2008 ! 2012 ! 2016 ! 2020 ! 2024 Africa – CANA — — — — — 1 — 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 Asia – AASF 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 Europe – LEN 2 4 5 5 4 4 6 Oceania – OSA 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Total teams 6 8 8 8 8 10 10

Best performances by tournament

All-time best performances

See also Water polo at the Summer Olympics

Lists of Olympic water polo records and statistics List of men's Olympic water polo tournament records and statistics List of women's Olympic water polo tournament records and statistics List of Olympic champions in men's water polo List of Olympic champions in women's water polo National team appearances in the men's Olympic water polo tournament List of players who have appeared in multiple men's Olympic water polo tournaments