The Aquatic Sports Association of Malta (ASA) has announced the initial squad selection for the Senior Men’s National Water Polo Team, as Malta prepares to host the World Aquatics Men’s Water Polo World Cup 2026, Division 2, scheduled to take place between the 7th and 13th of April 2026.
Head Coach Milan Cirovic and Assistant Coach Jonathan Valletta have named an 18-man squad, drawn from clubs including San Ġiljan, Sliema, Neptunes, Sirens, and US-based UC San Diego. The selected players will begin preparation training on the 30th of March at the Cottonera Pool Complex, running through to the 6th of April.
However, the announcement has not gone unnoticed for what is absent from it. A number of players who are considered regulars, and in some cases mainstays, of the national team setup have been left out of the selection.
Maltese water polo finds itself at the centre of an unprecedented controversy, with allegations emerging that players had been involved in betting activity.
Against that backdrop, the absence of several high-profile names from Cirovic’s squad speaks volumes and the timing leaves little room for alternative interpretation.
Malta will be playing on home soil and the pressure to perform will be significant. Whether the squad, reshaped by circumstance as much as by merit, can rise to the occasion remains to be seen.
The selected squad is as follows:
San Ġiljan: Jeremy Abela, Darren Zammit, Russell Caruana, Luigi Dimech
Sliema: Zack Dzanovic (GK), Elijah Schembri, Sam Engerer, Benji Cachia, Jake Cachia, Julian Chircop
Neptunes: Stevie Camilleri, Ivan Nagaev, Mark Castillo, Julian Valletta
Sirens: Nicky Grixti (GK), Jerome Zerafa Gregory
UC San Diego: Rhys Bugelli, Finn Bugelli
