An impressive Opening Ceremony for the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025 featured a series of inspiring performances at the Singtel Waterfront Theatre.
The first World Aquatics Championships in Southeast Asia was opened in the presence of the President of Singapore Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Ministers of Singapore and members of the World Aquatics family, ahead of the start of competition running from tomorrow (11 July) until 3 August.
The Opening Ceremony featured a series of cultural performances which showcased Singapore’s deep connection to water. There were also welcome addresses by the World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam and the President of Singapore Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and a Parade of Flags for each of the 206 countries with registered athletes played via video.
The evening began with an outstanding performance of the Rainwoven dance by the School of the Arts, Singapore. This celebrated the beauty of difference and the power of coming together as one.
A powerful rendition of the national anthem of Singapore was led by the Victoria Junior College Choir, a renowned choir which has earned numerous accolades on the global stage.
World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam welcomed all participants to the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025, and looked forward to an historic event.
“On behalf of World Aquatics, I would like to thank Singapore, the Government, the Organising Committee, the Sports Ministry and Singapore Aquatics for coming up so quickly and hosting the 22nd edition of the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore,” the World Aquatics President said.
“It’s a record for our World Aquatics Championships – 206 countries registered to participate here in Singapore and nearly 2,500 athletes.“
"It’s a record that for the first time we have more female athletes participating in the World Aquatics Championships than male athletes and this is a wonderful achievement"
The President of Singapore Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam also welcomed the global aquatics family to the country for the World Aquatics Championships.
“Over the next three weeks, we will witness about 2,500 athletes from around the world compete over 77 medal events. Singapore is also happy to welcome almost 6,000 masters-aged athletes who are here for the World Aquatics Masters Championships,” President Shanmugaratnam said.
“What we celebrate too is the quiet but profound way in which sport can bring us together, even when we are rooting for different teams. In a world increasingly divided, sport reminds us that we can strive together, even as we compete; that we can demonstrate our common humanity.
“It's a real honour for Singapore to host the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, and the first time too, that a Southeast Asian nation is hosting the event. And as Captain Husain observed, it's a special moment for Singapore, because it's also the year in which we celebrate our 60th anniversary since independence.”
The Opening Ceremony concluded with a tribute video and a performance of Singa Roar by the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) – a percussion piece comprising Chinese, Malay, Indian and Latino drums, celebration Singapore’s melting pot of cultures where people of diverse cultural background work, live and collaborate together.
Nearly 2,500 athletes will compete in a record 77 medal events across six sports at the World Aquatics Championships.
The full schedule for the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025 can be found here.
Details on ticketing can be found here, and information on the extensive global coverage of the event can be found here.