The 2025 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup reaches its grand finale this week in Toronto, Canada, where elite competitors from around the globe are ready to put on a show in the short course (25m) pool from Thursday through Saturday and battle for the final series honours.
Standout swimming stars have already been rewriting the record books, with four new World Records set by Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan (200m freestyle) and Kaylee McKeown (200m backstroke), along with Americans Kate Douglass (100m freestyle) and Gretchen Walsh (50m butterfly). Fellow American Regan Smith also matched her own World Record in the 100m backstroke and dipped under the previous global mark in the 200m backstroke, finishing just two hundredths of a second behind McKeown’s winning time at last weekend’s meet in Westmont, Illinois.
With a total prize purse of USD 1.2 million and an additional USD 10,000 World Record bonus for athletes who set or equal a new global mark, the Swimming World Cup has proven a lucrative series for the sport’s top performers.
With more World Record bonuses still available in Toronto, the pursuit of the coveted triple crown continues. Twenty-three events are eligible for a USD 10,000 crown bonus, awarded to swimmers who win the same event three consecutive weeks.
New for 2025, World Aquatics has also introduced an additional twist — the “crown buster” bonus. If a swimmer prevents another athlete from claiming a triple crown by winning that event in Toronto, the spoiler earns a USD 2,500 reward.
Race for the Men’s and Women’s Swimming World Cup 2025 Overall Titles
After the first two stops of the World Cup in Carmel, Indiana, and Westmont, Illinois, three USA athletes are at the top of the overall women’s standings. Gretchen Walsh leads with 118.1 points, followed closely by defending champion Kate Douglass with 118.0, and Regan Smith in third with 114.4. With Toronto looming, every race could tip the balance in this thrilling three-way fight.
On the men’s side, Hungary’s Hubert Kos tops the leaderboard with 116.4 points. Canadian Ilya Kharun sits in second with 113.1, while American Shaine Casas holds third with 112.3 points.
When & Where to Watch | Swimming World Cup in Toronto
The Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre will play host to the series finale, with heats starting at 10 am local time (EST) and the finals beginning at 18:00 (EST). Here’s the World Aquatics Where to Watch the Swimming World Cup 2025 Guide, where you can find the best streaming and broadcast viewing options in your area.