The process of filling the water polo pool for Santiago 2023 has begun and is set to take five days to complete ©Santiago 2023

Work has begun on filling the pool which is to be used for water polo at the Pan American Games in Santiago in October.

The Chilean National Institute of Sport (IND) has said that 2.75 million litres of water will be needed to fill the pool at the Aquatic Centre of the National Stadium Park and the process will take five days to complete.

"This is a giant step forward for a facility that is over 90 per cent complete and that will be delivered in September," the IND said.

The United States were gold medallists in both men's and women's water polo competitions at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima.

They have been drawn alongside Brazil, Puerto Rico and Mexico in Group A of the men's competition.

Host nation Chile are in Group B with Canada, Argentina and Cuba.

In the women's tournament the host nation has been pitched in with the US, Brazil and Puerto Rico in Group B.

Canada, Mexico, Argentina and Cuba comprise Group A.

The pool was originally built for the 2014 South American Games.

Water polo at the Pan American Games is set to run from October 30 to November 4.