World Aquatics announces Beijing as host of 2026 short-course championships

World Aquatics has announced that Beijing will host the next World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in late 2026.

Announced overnight in Singapore, the hosting will see the Chinese capital welcome over 1,000 elite athletes from more than 200 countries and regions to compete across six competition days at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) - Beijing 2026.

The announcement, following a competitive bidding process and consideration by the World Aquatics Bureau, was made during the World Aquatics General Congress that is taking place alongside the World Aquatics Championship and World Aquatics Masters Championships in Singapore.

It follows Beijing having been announced - back in 2024 - as host of the World Aquatics Championships in 2029, the city will soon add open water swimming and high diving to its impressive aquatics resume.

Events for both Championships will be held Beijing National Aquatics Centre, otherwise known as the ‘Water Cube’, built for the 2008 Olympics and Paralympics and also used during the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

China has hosted 109 World Aquatics events, including the 2011 World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai. Next year will mark the third time that China has hosted the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) after Shanghai and Hangzhou staged the 2006 and 2018 editions.

Next year’s event will be organised in cooperation with the China Swimming Association and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports.

Announcing the hosting, World Aquatics President, Husain Al Musallam stated “World Aquatics is delighted that China - a proud swimming nation - and its vibrant capital, Beijing, will host the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) for the first time.

“China has a rich swimming tradition, and we are excited to return to Beijing, where we are confident the world’s best short-course swimmers will be given every opportunity to perform at their highest level. We are deeply grateful to our hosts for their commitment to aquatics and are already looking forward to 2026.”

Beijing is the only city to have hosted the Summer and Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games - in 2008 and 2022, respectively.

World Aquatics also announced that it has extended its exclusive USA media rights agreement with NBC Sports through to 2028.

In a deal brokered by global agency SPORTFIVE, the agreement helps boost momentum toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Image: The Water Cube, the Beijing National Aquatics Centre. Credit: Shutterstock.