National team appearances in the women's Olympic water polo tournament

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.

Debut of teams
Last updated: 7 January 2024.


 * Legend
 * Team* – Host 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

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


 * Legend
 * Team* – Host team

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 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

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
Runners-up, Greece (2004*). 5th position, China (2008*). 8th position, Great Britain (2012*), Brazil (2016*). 9th position, Japan (2020*). 9th position, Japan (2020*).
 * 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*).
 * Had its worst performance as hosts: 8th position, Great Britain (2012*), Brazil (2016*).

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)

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