Manchester to host European U17 Championship qualification round

European governing body LEN have announced Manchester will host a men’s European U17 Championship qualification tournament in May 2017.

The event will see five teams – including Great Britain – battling it out over three days from 11 – 14 May at East Manchester Leisure Centre.

It will be the first competitive international event in England since the senior women beat world champions Spain in April 2014.

The British team will take on Romania, Ukraine, Israel and Lithuania at the event, with a place at September’s Championship finals in Malta up for grabs.

“This group of athletes is highly talented and dedicated to achieving their goal of representing Great Britain at the European Championships in September,” said ASA Water Polo Management Group chairman Ian Elliot.

“The support of Manchester City Council, and the big benefit of having home advantage in the qualifying tournament now makes this a realistic prospect. I for one am very excited.”

This year’s women’s European U17 Championships doesn’t feature qualification rounds. The British team are entered directly to the event in Novi Sad, Serbia from 19 – 27 August.