A1 Ethniki Water Polo

A1 Ethniki

Current season, competition or edition: 2023–24 A1 Ethniki
Sport	Water polo
Founded	1927; 97 years ago (1927)
Administrator	Hellenic Swimming Federation
No. of teams	16
Country	Greece
Confederation	LEN
Most recent champion(s)	Olympiacos Piraeus (2023–24)
Most titles	Ethnikos Piraeus Olympiacos Piraeus (38 titles)
TV partner(s)	ERT
Level on pyramid	Level 1
Relegation to	A2 Ethniki Water Polo
Domestic cup(s)	Greek Cup
International cup(s)	LEN Champions League LEN Euro Cup
Official website	koe.org.gr

The A1 Ethniki (Greek: Α1 Εθνική Κατηγορία), often referred to as the Greek Water Polo League, is the highest professional water polo league in Greece. It is run by the Hellenic Swimming Federation. It is considered one of the top national leagues in European water polo, as its clubs have made significant success in European competitions.

Ethnikos Piraeus and Olympiacos Piraeus share the most championships, having 38. Ethnikos also has the record for consecutive championships, with 18.

History

• 1923-27: Panhellenic Championship (held by SEGAS)
• 1927–28 to 1965-66: Panhellenic Championship (held by Hellenic Swimming Federation)
• 1966–67 to 1985-86: A Ethniki (held by Hellenic Swimming Federation)
• 1986–87 to present: A1 Ethniki (held by Hellenic Swimming Federation)

Title holders

• 1922–23 Peiraikos
• 1925–26 Ethnikos Piraeus
• 1926–27 Olympiacos Piraeus
• 1927–28 Aris Thessaloniki
• 1928–29 Aris Thessaloniki (2)
• 1929–30 Aris Thessaloniki (3)
• 1930–31 Ethnikos Piraeus (2)
• 1931–32 Aris Thessaloniki (4)
• 1932–33 Olympiacos Piraeus (2)
• 1933–34 Olympiacos Piraeus (3)
• 1934–35 NO Patras
• 1935–36 Olympiacos Piraeus (4)
• 1936–37 NO Patras (2)
• 1937–38 NO Patras (3)
• 1938–39 NO Patras (4)
• 1939–40 NO Patras (5)
• 1941–44 Not held due to WW II
• 1944–45 NO Patras (6)
• 1945–46 NO Patras (7)
• 1946–47 Olympiacos Pireaus (5)
• 1947–48 Ethnikos Piraeus (3)
• 1948–49 Olympiacos Piraeus (6)
• 1949–50 NO Patras (8)
• 1950–51 Olympiacos Piraeus (7)
• 1951–52 Olympiacos Piraeus (8)
• 1952–53 Ethnikos Piraeus (4)
• 1953–54 Ethnikos Piraeus (5)
• 1954–55 Ethnikos Piraeus (6)
• 1955–56 Ethnikos Piraeus (7)
• 1956–57 Ethnikos Piraeus (8)
• 1957–58 Ethnikos Piraeus (9)
• 1958–59 Ethnikos Piraeus (10)
• 1959–60 Ethnikos Piraeus (11)
• 1960–61 Ethnikos Piraeus (12)
• 1961–62 Ethnikos Piraeus (13)
• 1962–63 Ethnikos Piraeus (14)
• 1963–64 Ethnikos Piraeus (15)
• 1964–65 Ethnikos Piraeus (16)
• 1965–66 Ethnikos Piraeus (17)
• 1966–67 Ethnikos Piraeus (18)
• 1967–68 Ethnikos Piraeus (19)
• 1968–69 Ethnikos Piraeus (20) &
  Olympiacos Piraeus (9)[1]
• 1969–70 Ethnikos Piraeus (21)
• 1970–71 Olympiacos Piraeus (10)
• 1971–72 Ethnikos Piraeus (22)
• 1972–73 Ethnikos Piraeus (23)
• 1973–74 Ethnikos Piraeus (24)
• 1974–75 Ethnikos Piraeus (25)
• 1975–76 Ethnikos Piraeus (26)
• 1976–77 Ethnikos Piraeus (27)
• 1977–78 Ethnikos Piraeus (28)
• 1978–79 Ethnikos Piraeus (29)
• 1979–80 Ethnikos Piraeus (30)
• 1980–81 Ethnikos Piraeus (31)
• 1981–82 Ethnikos Piraeus (32)
• 1982–83 Ethnikos Piraeus (33)
• 1983–84 Ethnikos Piraeus (34)
• 1984–85 Ethnikos Piraeus (35)
• 1985–86 ANO Glyfada
• 1986–87 ANO Glyfada (2)
• 1987–88 Ethnikos Piraeus (36)
• 1988–89 ANO Glyfada (3)
• 1989–90 ANO Glyfada (4)
• 1990–91 NO Vouliagmeni
• 1991–92 Olympiacos Piraeus (11)
• 1992–93 Olympiacos Piraeus (12)
• 1993–94 Ethnikos Piraeus (37)
• 1994–95 Olympiacos Piraeus (13)
• 1995–96 Olympiacos Piraeus (14)
• 1996–97 NO Vouliagmeni (2)
• 1997–98 NO Vouliagmeni (3)
• 1998–99 Olympiacos Piraeus (15)
• 1999–00 Olympiacos Piraeus (16)
• 2000–01 Olympiacos Piraeus (17)
• 2001–02 Olympiacos Piraeus (18)
• 2002–03 Olympiacos Piraeus (19)
• 2003–04 Olympiacos Piraeus (20)
• 2004–05 Olympiacos Piraeus (21)
• 2005–06 Ethnikos Piraeus (38)
• 2006–07 Olympiacos Piraeus (22)
• 2007–08 Olympiacos Piraeus (23)
• 2008–09 Olympiacos Piraeus (24)
• 2009–10 Olympiacos Piraeus (25)
• 2010–11 Olympiacos Piraeus (26)
• 2011–12 NO Vouliagmeni (4)
• 2012–13 Olympiacos Piraeus (27)
• 2013–14 Olympiacos Piraeus (28)
• 2014–15 Olympiacos Piraeus (29)
• 2015–16 Olympiacos Piraeus (30)
• 2016–17 Olympiacos Piraeus (31)
• 2017–18 Olympiacos Piraeus (32)
• 2018–19 Olympiacos Piraeus (33)
• 2019–20 Olympiacos Piraeus (34)
• 2020–21 Olympiacos Piraeus (35)
• 2021–22 Olympiacos Piraeus (36)
• 2022–23 Olympiacos Piraeus (37)
• 2023–24 Olympiacos Piraeus (38)

Titles by club

No.	Club	Winners	Winning years
1.	Ethnikos Piraeus	38	1926, 1931, 1948, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969*, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1994, 2006
	Olympiacos Piraeus	38	1927, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1947, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1969*, 1971, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
3.	NO Patras	8	1935, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1945, 1946, 1950
4.	Aris Thessaloniki	4	1928, 1929, 1930, 1932
5.	ANO Glyfada	4	1986, 1987, 1989, 1990
6.	NO Vouliagmeni	4	1991,1997, 1998, 2012
7.	Peiraikos	1	1923

* The 1969 Championship was shared between Olympiacos and Ethnikos

Consecutive championships

18 in a row

• Ethnikos Piraeus→1953–1970

14 in a row

• Ethnikos Piraeus→1972-1985

12 in a row

• Olympiacos Piraeus→2013–2024

9 in a row

• Olympiacos Piraeus→1999–2005

6 in a row

• NO Patras→1937–1946

5 in a row

• Olympiacos Piraeus→2007–2011

3 in a row

• Aris Thessaloniki→1928–1930

2 in a row

• Olympiacos→1933–1934, 1951–1952, 1992–1993, 1995–1996

• ANO Glyfada→1986–1987, 1989–1990

• NO Vouliagmeni→1997–1998

Appearances in A' Ethniki (1967―2024)

A' Ethniki (National Division) started in 1967, but the Greek championship started in 1923 as a Panhellenic Championship. The Hellenic Swimming Federation declares all championship winning teams as champions from 1928 and onwards. Teams in bold participate in the 2023–24 season.

App Club 58 Olympiacos S.F. Piraeus 56 Ethnikos O.F. Piraeus 49 Chios Nautical Club 46 Panathinaikos Athens 45 Patras Nautical Club 44 Vouliagmeni Nautical Club 44 Glyfada Athletic Nautical Club 36 Palaio Faliro Athletic Club 29 Chania Nautical Club 29 P.A.O.K. Thessaloniki 24 Panionios G.S.S. (Athens) 16 Iraklis Thessaloniki

App Club 16 Kerkyra Nautical Athletic Club 14 Volos - Argonaftes Nautical Club 13 Kalamaki Nautical Club 10 Aris Thessaloniki 10 Ydraikos Nautical Club 8 O.F. Thalassis Thessaloniki 7 Chalcis Nautical Club 7 Ilisiakos Athletic Club Athens 7 Apollon Smyrnis 6 Poseidon Ilision SC (Athens) 5 Patras Nautical Union 5 E.N.O. Egyptioton Athens

App Club 5 Peristeri Gymnastic Club 4 A.E.K. Athens 3 Argostoli Nautical Club 3 Nireas Chalandri Athletic Club 3 Mytilene Nautical Club 3 G.N.O. Aris Nikaias 2 Larissa Nautical Club 2 Nireas Lamia Gymnastic Club 2 Ilioupolis Gymastic Club (Athens) 2 O.Y.K. Volos 1 O.F.I. (Heraklion) 1 Phoenix Piraeus

Greek clubs in European competitions

Club		Champions League					Euro Cup					Cup Winners' Cup (defunct)					Super Cup
		C	Years	RU	SF		C	Years	RU	SF		C	Years	RU	SF		C	Years	RU
Olympiacos Piraeus		2	2002,2018	3	1		–					0		2			1	2002	1
Ethnikos Piraeus		0		0	1		0		0	1		0		0			–
NO Vouliagmeni		0		0	1		0		1	2		1	1997	0	1		–
Panionios		0		0	0		0		2	2		–					–
NO Patras		–					0		1	0		–					–

References

1. Official Decision of General Secretariat Athletic by President C.Aslanidis - 24/09/1969

External links

• Hellenic Swimming Federation (in Greek)
• Eleftherotypia
• Star Channel
• Novasport Fm