Dear World Aquatics family,
It is with great pride that we look back on what has been a hugely successful year for World Aquatics.
Across the world, the outstanding performances of athletes at the elite level, the dedication of coaches, and the professionalism of officials, staff and volunteers have shaped an incredible 2025 for aquatic sports. Your work underpins the continued strength and development of aquatics worldwide.
One of the defining highlights of the year was the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025. Hosted for the first time in Southeast Asia, the event welcomed record levels of participation with more than 2,400 athletes from 203 countries, alongside the World Aquatics Refugee Team, and featured 77 medal events in the six aquatic sports.
We witnessed unforgettable moments throughout the World Aquatics Championships. Swimmers delivered extraordinary performances, setting three World Records, 15 Championship Records, and 28 Continental Records. Divers from around the world showcased incredible skill and precision, while Water Polo fans were treated to thrilling, fiercely contested matches. We also witnessed dramatic Open Water Swimming races, stunning Artistic Swimming performances, and astonishing High Diving displays.
For the first time ever, the World Aquatics Masters Championships overlapped with the elite World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, which created a unique celebration of aquatic sports. Approximately 6,000 participants from hundreds of clubs around the world competed across 657 medal events, the oldest aged 97. In swimming alone, 30 Masters World Records and 129 Masters Championship Records were set as the success continued from the elite event.
Singapore 2025 will leave a powerful legacy for aquatics in the region, having captured the imagination of the host nation with more than 500,000 Singaporeans participating in Championships-related activities.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our hosts in Singapore, the thousands of volunteers, and everyone who played a part in delivering these exceptional events.
We also saw brilliant performances across all of our World Cup events, including the three Swimming World Cup stops in Carmel (USA), Westmont (USA) and Toronto (CAN) where there were 13 World Records, 30 World Cup Records and multiple Continental Records set. We were additionally treated to three Diving World Cup stops, nine World Aquatics Diving Recognised Events, two Water Polo World Cup Division bouts and Finals, a U20 Water Polo World Championships for both men and women, four Artistic Swimming World Cup stops, the World Aquatics Youth Artistic Swimming Championships, four Open Water Swimming World Cup stops and the High Diving World Cup in the spectacular setting of Porto Flavia (ITA).
Beyond competition, World Aquatics remains firmly committed to the development of aquatic sports and the support of our global community. The AQUA Scholarship Programme continues to provide vital opportunities, with more than 120 athletes enrolled for the 2025–2026 edition and the new World Aquatics Centre of Excellence opened in Bahrain. For the 2025-2026 period, 30 swimmers also joined the Stipendium Hungaricum Sports Scholarship Programme in Budapest, further strengthening our pathways for athlete development both on and off the field of play.
Athletes are central to World Aquatics’ activities, and we were honoured to host the inaugural “From Podiums to Possibilities” Athletes’ Career Summit in December 2025, bringing together 18 elite athletes from all aquatic sports and distinguished speakers from sport, business and leadership. This provided a safe environment for athletes to reflect openly, learn from peers and mentors, and explore new opportunities to help them to navigate their post-athletic careers.
World Aquatics launched the Coaches’ Certification Programme and a new Technical Officials’ pathway in 2025, designed to elevate standards and consistency worldwide. The Coaches’ Certification Programme is underway with the first swimming age group coaching course taking place in Budapest in November, while the first courses for technical officials will begin in 2026.
We also unveiled the Blueprint, World Aquatics’ sustainability strategy which provides a clear framework to guide our organisation through to 2030 and deliver tangible environmental and social impact. The Discover Water programme continues to be rolled out, using our unique platform to promote water safety and aquatic participation around the world.
The World Aquatics Support Programme meanwhile continues to benefit aquatic sports in more than 180 countries, investing more than USD 4.8 million globally.
These activities are driven by our ongoing commercial success, and we would like to sincerely thank our Global Partners and Global Suppliers for their support and shared commitment to the growth of aquatic sports.
Looking ahead, we are delighted to be returning to our usual competition cycle following the prolonged impact of Covid-19 on our calendar. The 2026 World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Beijing will be a major highlight of next year, and we are already preparing for what promises to be an outstanding World Aquatics Championships in Budapest in 2027.
We can also look forward with great excitement to the LA28 Olympic Games, with great progress made on delivering a record-breaking edition for aquatic sports. With 55 aquatics medals at LA28, this will be the most ever for any sport at an Olympic Games. This follows the IOC’s agreement to include six new sprint medal events in Swimming, and the expansion of the Women’s Water Polo Tournament to 12 teams in a landmark moment for gender parity. Swimming will take centre stage during the final week of the Games, with the final session held just before the Closing Ceremony, and this will contribute to keeping aquatics at the heart of the Games in Los Angeles.
Thank you to every member of the World Aquatics family for your continued commitment throughout 2025, and we wish you and your loved ones a healthy and happy New Year.
Yours sincerely,
Husain Al Musallam
President, World Aquatics