The 2012 Men's European Water Polo Championship took place at the Pieter van den Hoogenband Swim Stadium in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, from 16 to 29 January 2012.
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Road to the 2012 Olympics
The championships was part of the qualification procedure for the 2012 London Olympics that will take place in late July and early August of that year. There will be 12 men's teams in the Olympic competition.
By the time that these championships take place, four men's places have already been booked: the winner of the 2011 FINA Men's Water Polo World League in Italy (Serbia), and the three top-placed teams in the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai that did not win the World League (Italy, Croatia, Hungary).
As Great Britain men's team has been entered into the Olympic competition, there was not a direct entry to the Olympic tournament from the European Championships. Five teams will be entered into a world-wide qualifying competition from 1–8 April 2012 for men in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and from 15–22 April for women in Italy. Four teams from this competition qualified for the Olympic tournament.
Pre-qualified
Netherlands (hosts)
Croatia (Winners, 2010 Men's European Water Polo Championship)
Italy (Finalists, 2010 Men's European Water Polo Championship)
Serbia (3rd Place, 2010 Men's European Water Polo Championship)
Hungary (4th Place, 2010 Men's European Water Polo Championship)
Montenegro (5th Place, 2010 Men's European Water Polo Championship)
Draw
The draw was held on 12 November 2011.