Singapore to host 2025 World Aquatics Championships

February 11, 2023

Singapore has been awarded hosting rights for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, replacing the Russian Federation city of Kazan which had been due to stage the event.

World Aquatics’ decision comes after Kazan also lost the rights to stage last year's World Swimming (25m) Championships due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Melbourne stepping in to host the event in December.

Bringing together the six aquatic sports of swimming, water polo, diving, artistic swimming, open-water swimming and high diving, the event will be staged in cooperation between World Aquatics, the Singapore Swimming Association and Sport Singapore.

With over 2,500 athletes representing 209 member federations are expected to take part in the event, the Singapore Sports Hub - which includes the National Stadium, the Singapore Indoor Stadium and the OCBC Aquatic Centre (which includes two 50 metre pools and a diving facility) - will be the Championships’ major location.

Singapore has previously hosted World Cups in five of the six aquatics sports, as well as the 2015 World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships. However, it has never hosted the World Aquatics Championships - and will become the first South east Asian city to do so.

Commenting on the Championships’ new location, World Aquatics President, Husain Al-Musallam stated “Singapore has everything we hope to share with our athletes: world-class facilities, proven experience of hosting events of the highest quality and a comprehensive approach to aquatic sports that runs from elite level to the community.

“With a back-to-back-to-back trio of World Aquatics Championships in Asia - following Fukuoka this year and Doha in 2024 - the continent is demonstrating exceptional commitment and ability when it comes to welcoming the world’s best aquatic athletes.”

Singapore Swimming Association President, Mark Chay added “as you might expect from an island nation, Singapore has a proud tradition of aquatic sports. Our whole community is excited about the opportunities that will come from bringing the world’s best aquatics athletes to Singapore: from the teams that have represented us with honour at the Olympic Games and the World Aquatics Championships to the young people training in our clubs.”

Five-time Olympic swimming champion Ian Thorpe has welcomed the hosting, noting that Singapore has a "special approach to maximising sport's potential to change lives for the better".

Stripped of the hosting, authorities in Kazan, which lies in Russia’s Tatarstan Federation, is reported to be in discussions to host the Championships in 2029.

Tatarstan's Minister of Sport, Vladimir Leonov told Russia's official state news agency TASS “we are in dialogue with the International Federation.

"The World Championship in Kazan has not been cancelled, it has been postponed to 2029."

Dates for the 2025 edition have yet to be confirmed.

Image: The OCBC Aquatic Centre at the Singapore Sports Hub will be among the competition venues.

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