World Aquatics opens the host bidding process for upcoming artistic swimming competitions, covering World Cup events from 2027 to 2030 and age-group Championships from 2028 to 2030.
With the 2026 World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup season currently underway in its 32nd edition, World Aquatics has opened the host bidding process for the sport's World Cup events from 2027 to 2030 and age-group Championships from 2028 to 2030.
The World Aquatics Junior Artistic Swimming Championships is a biennial event for athletes aged 15–19 (women) and 15–20 (men). The 8th edition will take place in Budapest, Hungary, this August.
The World Aquatics Youth Artistic Swimming Championships, also held biennially in alternate years, is for athletes aged 13–15 (women) and 13-16 (men). The most recent edition took place in Athens, Greece, in 2025, marking the fourth edition of the competition.
Bidding Timeline and Process
The bidding process launches week commencing 4 May 2026, when World Aquatics will invite interested parties to complete the Expression of Interest (EOI) form and sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Prospective hosts have until 15 May 2026 to submit both documents.
Applicants will subsequently receive essential bidding documentation, including the Bid Guide (which outlines operational requirements and the draft hosting agreement) and the Bid Application Questionnaire.
The formal candidate phase requires applicants to demonstrate technical capability, financial capacity, and operational readiness. Shortlisted candidates will have the opportunity to participate in an observer programme, offering first-hand insight into event operations at the Artistic Swimming World Cup, along with dedicated Q&A opportunities with World Aquatics staff.
The candidate phase concludes on 3 July 2026, the deadline for final bid submissions and signed host agreements, giving all candidates equal preparation time while ensuring World Aquatics has the documentation required for final selection.
The complete Host Bidding documentation package, including detailed operational requirements and hosting guidelines, is available HERE. For initial inquiries and personalised guidance, prospective hosts may contact World Aquatics at host.bidding@worldaquatics.com.
The Value of Hosting World Aquatics Artistic Swimming Events
Hosting the World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup and the Youth and Junior Championships offers host cities the opportunity to elevate their international profile while generating significant economic and social benefits.
Commercial opportunities include domestic sponsorship partnerships, hotel commissions, government grants and contributions, ticketing and hospitality revenue, tourism packages, and VIP hospitality offerings. Hosts may also exploit the event's linear broadcast rights within their territory to maximise local media value.
World Aquatics supports all events with proactive global communications, reaching a digital audience of over eight million followers across its owned social media channels, complemented by in-venue branding opportunities for commercial partners.
Host Testimonials
Colombia — Social and Community Impact
"Hosting the World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup this year brought a multitude of meaningful social and community benefits we felt, from event announcement day to today," said Colombia Aquatics Federation President Jorge Enrique Soto Roldán. "Artistic swimming is on the rise in Colombia, and bringing the World Cup to Medellín brought an incredible source of pride to the city, the community, and our competitors. The fans came out every day to our recently revitalised aquatics venue. We continue to get questions from the public, asking when we will be bringing the World Cup back to Colombia."
The sentiment was echoed by Gustavo Sanchez, the 2024 World Aquatics Male Artistic Swimmer of the Year, who described Colombia hosting a World Cup as "a dream come true for me and so many other artistic swimmers."
Athens, Greece — Introducing Tomorrow's Stars on the Global Stage
"Holding the World Aquatics Youth Artistic Swimming Championships was to watch brilliance beckon in real time," said Hellenic Aquatics Federation President, Olympian and World Aquatics Bureau Member Kyriakos Giannopoulos. "The best emerging talents brought captivating and colourful performances, day after day. There is something special about watching athletes discover their potential in your pool and then form lifelong friendships with fellow athletes on the pool deck. With Greece being the birthplace of the Olympic spirit, we are reminded that sport's importance transcends long after the artistic swimming competition routine ends.
"Artistic swimming also has a significant and passionate presence on social media. Many moments from the 2025 Championships went viral on the socials. This did more than promote the event; it helped to organically bolster Athens' case as a global destination — a place where culture and tradition and the next generation converge."
Editor's Note: The World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup was formerly known as the FINA Artistic Swimming World Series, which ran from 2017 to 2022. Prior to this, World Aquatics held a single annual global artistic swimming event, known as the Synchro World Trophy from 2006 to 2016 and the Synchronised Swimming World Cup from 1979 to 2014.