In 2026, the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup will feature athletes competing in a compact series across four picturesque locations — from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean — before culminating in the Atlantic Ocean.
LAUSANNE – The 2026 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup will mark the 20th edition of the tour, opening with racing in Africa’s Red Sea before moving to three European venues.
The 2026 calendar includes the following stops:
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Stop 1: Somabay (EGY) – 27-28 March
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Stop 2: Ibiza (ESP) – 24-25 April
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Stop 3: Golfo Aranci (ITA) – 1-2 May
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Stop 4: Setubal (POR) – 20-21 June
The 2026 season will once again be held in the clear, turquoise-tinted waters of Soma Bay, Egypt. This venue previously hosted the opening stops of the 2025 and 2024 World Cups, in addition to the 2023 edition, which was part of the multi-sport Egypt Aquatics Festival.
From Somabay, the World Cup tour continues in Ibiza, Spain, for racing in the Mediterranean Sea. It will be the second consecutive year that Ibiza hosts the event, following the introduction of the 3km Knockout Sprint on the global senior stage.
In that event, Germany claimed double gold: Oliver Klemet outkicked David Betlehem of Hungary in the men’s race, while Lea Boy outlasted Bettina Fabian, also of Hungary, in the women’s. The 3km Knockout Sprint made its debut at the World Aquatics Championships this past July in Singapore.
As Spain hosted its first Open Water Swimming World Cup since Seville 2007, the event marked a homecoming for the host nation. Angela Martinez Guillen found her rhythm on the final lap of the women’s 10km and never looked back, securing her first World Cup podium — and Spain’s first-ever international victory in open water swimming.
One week after Ibiza, the World Cup returns to Golfo Aranci, Italy – the Sardinian seaside village that recently hosted the 2025 World Cup finale.
Racing in these Mediterranean waters featured four individual events and a Mixed Team Relay, as athletes battled for the men’s and women’s Overall 2025 World Cup titles.
Buoyed by his silver medal in the 10km, France’s Logan Fontaine captured the men’s overall title, finishing ahead of his French compatriot Marc-Antoine Olivier on the final day.
On the women’s side, Ginevra Taddeucci of Italy earned a memorable victory in the 10km, which also secured her the women’s overall trophy for 2025 in front of her home crowd. Singapore 2025 double world champion Moesha Johnson also found success in the waters off Golfo Aranci, winning the women’s 3km Sprint – a win that had narrowly eluded the Australian in Singapore this past July.
The fourth and final stop of the 2026 Open Water Swimming World Cup returns to the familiar open Atlantic Ocean waters just off the coast of Setúbal, Portugal – a venue that has hosted the World Cup 16 times since 2007, as well as the Olympic Marathon Swim Qualifier events in 2012, 2016 and 2021.
Situated beside the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve, Setubal is known for challenging currents and occasional breaking waves, features typical of “real” open water swimming.
"Because there's waves and currents, it takes a lot of strategy" to race is how Marc-Antoine Olivier once described racing in Setubal.
"You have to race and react with what the others are doing," added Kristof Rasovszky, the Paris 2024 Olympic champion on racing in Setubal. "Of course, you have to catch up in the current, find your place in the waves and your place in the pack.
"Setubal", Rasovszky says, "is pure racing."
More to Come in 2026 | New Rhythm to the Open Water Swimming World Cup Season Starts in October 2026
Looking ahead, the 2027 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup will get underway in October 2026, introducing a refreshed calendar that brings the season to a close ahead of the sport’s biggest stages — the World Aquatics Championships – Budapest 2027 and the LA28 Olympic Games.
This strategic shift was developed in close consultation with athletes and coaches, reflecting strong support for a more streamlined and balanced season. By better aligning the calendar with the global swimming schedule, the new structure provides optimal preparation windows, increased competitive opportunities, and a cohesive build-up to major championships.
The updated season rhythm is designed to enhance competitive momentum, elevate the athlete experience, and intensify racing ahead of the sport’s most important events.