What you need for a water polo tournament

A water polo tournament needs more than balls and goals. Alongside match equipment, you’ll need clearly marked team caps, scoring supplies, tables for registration, food and drinks for players and volunteers, and reliable power for announcements and lighting. Use the quantities in your tournament plan as a starting point, then add spares for items that can be lost, damaged or shared between matches. Check borrowed equipment and dietary requirements before you shop.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Tablesqty 6
Chairsqty 24
Tableclothsqty 6

Sports equipment

Water polo ballsqty 6
Water polo goalsqty 2
Goal netsqty 2
Blue team capsqty 12
White team capsqty 12
Goalkeeper caps redqty 4
Whistlesqty 6
Stopwatchesqty 4
Scoreboardsqty 2
Field markingsqty 4
Clipboardsqty 6
Waterproof markersqty 12
Score sheetsqty 40
Pensqty 20
Medalsqty 40
Cupsqty 3
First aid kit
Instant cold packsqty 8

Equipment

Portable speaker
Microphone
Extension cordsqty 2
Power stripsqty 2
Rechargeable lampsqty 4

Tableware

Reusable cupsqty 150
Platesqty 120
Cutlery setsqty 120
Coffee cupsqty 60

Kitchen

Thermos flasksqty 4
Coolersqty 4
Serving plattersqty 8
Serving spoonsqty 8
Bread knivesqty 4
Cutting boardsqty 4
Kitchen tongsqty 4

Decorations

Welcome banner
Directional signsqty 8
Name stickersqty 150
Wristbandsqty 150

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 8
Broomsqty 2
Floor squeegeesqty 2
Mopsqty 4

Catering

Groceries
- White casinobread - 12 loaves
- Brown casino bread - 8 loaves
- Whole wheat wraps - 80 pieces
- Young cheese - 4 kilograms
- Cooked ham - 3 kilograms
- Chicken breast slices - 2 kilogram
- Hummus - 12 tubs
- Cream cheese - 10 tubs
- Butter - 1 kilogram
- Mayonnaise - 2 bottles
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mustard - 2 bottles
- Lettuce - 10 heads
- Cucumbers - 12 pieces
- Tomatoes - 4 kilogram
- Peppers - 3 kilograms
- Apples - 12 kilograms
- Bananas - 8 kilograms
- Grapes - 6 kilograms
- Mandarins - 8 kilograms
- Plain chips - 12 bags
- Paprika chips - 12 bags
- Snack mix - 8 bags
- Muesli bars - 120 pieces
- Cookies - 8 packs
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 10 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Iced tea - 8 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 120 bottles
- Spa Rood - 24 small bottles
- Sports drink - 80 bottles
- Apple juice - 6 packs
- Orange juice - 6 cartons
- Coffee - 4 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Sugar - 2 kilograms
- Milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Lemon juice - 2 bottles
- Ice cubes - 12 bags
- Paper napkins - 400 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Trash bags - 40 pieces
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Disinfectant wipes - 4 packs
- Hand soap - 4 bottles
- Hand gel - 4 bottles

Tips

Buy or borrow at least one spare water polo ball and keep extra whistles and stopwatches at the scoring table. A missing ball or dead stopwatch can delay every match.
Prepare one complete set of caps for each participating team, plus at least two spare field-player caps and one spare goalkeeper cap in each colour. Keep the red goalkeeper caps separate from the team sets.
Plan food by person rather than by tray: allow two sandwiches and one piece of fruit per player or volunteer, with extra portions for late arrivals and officials. Confirm dietary requirements before buying fillings.
Set aside one cooler for drinks and another for perishable food. For the first hour, allow two to three drinks per person, then add more according to the tournament length and weather.
Buy enough disposable-free serving equipment for the busiest break, not just the opening hour. Count reusable cups, plates and cutlery against the maximum number of people eating at once, and have two serving spoons and at least one bread knife available.

Frequently asked questions

What equipment do I need for a water polo tournament?: You need water polo balls, goals with nets, field markings, team caps, whistles, stopwatches and scoreboards. Provide at least one working match set plus spare balls and timing equipment so one failure does not stop play.
How many water polo balls should I buy for a tournament?: Start with one match ball per active playing area and keep at least one spare for each area. For a single pool, two to three balls is a practical minimum for a tournament day, depending on how quickly balls are returned.
How much food and drink do I need for water polo players?: Allow two sandwiches and one piece of fruit per player or volunteer, then add 10–15% for unexpected guests and extra breaks. Plan two to three drinks per person for the first hour and adjust upward for a long or hot tournament.
What should I prepare for the registration and scoring tables?: Bring tables, chairs, tablecloths, clipboards, printed schedules, badges, score sheets, pens and a scoreboard. Set up both tables at least 45 minutes before the first match so registrations and scoring can be tested before teams arrive.

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