At today’s press conference held at the University of Applied Sciences “Lavoslav Ružička” in Vukovar, the third edition of the European University Water Polo Championship was officially announced under the auspices of the European University Sports Association (EUSA). From July 7^th to 13^th, Vukovar will host elite European student teams, and the Vukovar swimming pool will become the center of top-level student sports and international unity.

The championship will bring around 150 athletes from eight universities in Croatia, Hungary, Turkey, and France. The competitions will be held over six days, with the official opening scheduled for July 7^th at the city’s symbol, the Vukovar Water Tower, in a special emotional atmosphere that will connect history and sport.

Among the Croatian representatives, the University of Zagreb, the current national academic champion, will stand out, with its players making their debut at this competition. The University of Split will also be featured, as its students are the current European champions from the 2024 European University Games in Debrecen-Miskolc.

Speaking at the conference, the Dean of the University of Applied Sciences “Lavoslav Ružička” in Vukovar and President of the Organizing Committee emphasized that this event is an important step for Vukovar as a city of sports and education, and also an important promotion of Slavonia on the European sports map. This was echoed by the Vukovar-Srijem County Prefect, Mr. Ivan Bosančić: “It is very important for our county and city to host events, especially those of a sports and international character, as they contribute not only to promotion but also to connecting students and higher education institutions. This is added value that is hard to achieve without such an event. We will present ourselves as good hosts, as we have shown in all previous activities, and I have no doubt that VEVU will do an excellent job at a high level. I congratulate everyone involved in the organization; from the county and from me as the prefect, they have our full support.”

The attendees were also addressed by the Deputy Mayor of Vukovar, Mr. Filip Sušac, the Director of Sports Facilities Vukovar, Mr. Ivan Szabo, and the EUSA Water Polo Project Leader, Mr. Marko Kunac, who together emphasized that this championship is proof of how sport can be used as a powerful tool for connecting and developing local communities.

The third European University Water Polo Championship is part of a broader vision for the development of student sports in Croatia and Europe and represents a platform for strengthening cooperation, exchanging experiences, and promoting the city of Vukovar, all of which are possible with the support of local and national partners. The competitions are free for all spectators, and all matches will be available via the official YouTube channel @EUSAWaterpolo, ensuring wider visibility of the event.