While the current edition of the World Aquatics Championships continues in Qatar capital of Doha, the global governing body for the sport has announced that that the Chinese capital will host the 2029 edition of the biannual event.
Following a bidding process and careful consideration by the World Aquatics Bureau, the flagship global swimming event will welcome more than 2,500 world-class athletes from over 200 countries and regions to compete in the six aquatic sports of swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming, open water swimming and high diving.
Announcing Beijing 2029, World Aquatics advised “a proven host with a strong record of successfully delivering World Aquatics events, the People's Republic of China has organised over 100 major aquatics competitions, 37 of which have taken place in Beijing.
“Having previously hosted two editions of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, alongside countless other major sporting events, Beijing promises an unforgettable experience for both athletes and fans.”
China’s commitment to aquatic sport will see it host three World Aquatics events in 2024 - the World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup in Beijing (from 5th to 7th April), the World Aquatics Diving World Cup - Super Final in Xi'an (19th to 21st April), and the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Shanghai (18th to 20th October).
Announcing the hosting, World Aquatics President, Husain Al-Musallam stated "Beijing has repeatedly welcomed major aquatics events, providing excellent conditions that enable our athletes to perform at their very best.
"Thanks to our longstanding collaboration with our friends in China, we know the global aquatics community can look forward to world-class sporting action and entertainment in one of the world's most iconic cities. We are also very thankful to the other cities that expressed an interest in hosting. The World Aquatics Championships have become a compelling event for participants, spectators, viewers, partners and organisers alike.”
China Swimming Association President, Zhou Jihong added “the People's Republic of China is deeply passionate about aquatic sports. We have a very proud history of welcoming the best aquatics athletes to our country.
“We are therefore very honoured with Beijing being awarded the opportunity to host the world’s largest aquatics event, the World Aquatics Championships, in 2029.”
Beijing has already hosted 15 editions of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup, along with multiple World Cup events in swimming, diving, artistic swimming and water polo. China also hosted both the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Hangzhou in 2018 and the World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai in 2011.
In addition to the World Aquatics Championships - Beijing 2029, the Chinese capital will also host the World Aquatics Masters Championships - Beijing 2029.
The showcase World Aquatics event will be organised in close cooperation with the China Swimming Association and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports.
Following Doha, the 2025 and 2027 editions of the World Aquatics Championships will be hosted in Singapore and the Hungarian capital of Budapest.
Image: The interior of the Beijing National Aquatics Centre (also known as the Water Cube), likely to be the main venue for the 2029 World Aquatics Championships. Credit: Shutterstock.
About the author
Nigel Benton
Co-founder/Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management
Nigel Benton is the co-founder and Publisher of Australasian Leisure Management, Australia and New Zealand’s only magazine for professionals in all areas of the leisure industry. Having established the magazine in 1997, shortly after his relocation to Australia, he has managed its readership rising to over 11,500 and its acceptance as the industry journal for professionals in aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues.
In 2020, he launched the new Asian Leisure Business website.
Among a range of published works and features, his comments on a Blog (blogspot) from 2007 to 2011, when this website went live in its current form, may be interesting to reflect back on.
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