The 2026 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup will celebrate its 20th edition, kicking off in Africa’s Red Sea before moving through three European destinations.
2026 World Cup Calendar:
- Stop 1: Somabay (EGY) – 27–28 March
- Stop 2: Ibiza (ESP) – 24–25 April
- Stop 3: Golfo Aranci (ITA) – 1–2 May
- Stop 4: Setúbal (POR) – 20–21 June
The season opener returns to the crystal-clear waters of Somabay, Egypt, which has become a fixture on the circuit after successfully hosting the opening legs of the 2024 and 2025 World Cups, as well as the 2023 edition held during the Egypt Aquatics Festival.
From there, the action moves to Ibiza, Spain, for racing in the Mediterranean Sea. The island will welcome the World Cup for the second straight year, following the introduction of the 3km Knockout Sprint to the global senior program.
At last year’s Ibiza event, Germany took double gold in the new format: Oliver Klemet edged David Betlehem of Hungary in the men’s final, while Lea Boy outlasted Bettina Fabian, also of Hungary, in the women’s race. The 3km Knockout Sprint had made its debut just months earlier at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
The Ibiza stop also marked Spain’s return to the Open Water Swimming World Cup for the first time since Seville 2007. Local standout Angela Martinez Guillen thrilled home fans with a breakout performance in the women’s 10km, powering ahead on the final lap to claim her first World Cup podium — and Spain’s first-ever international open water victory.
One week after Ibiza, the World Cup returns to Golfo Aranci, Italy – the Sardinian seaside village that recently hosted the 2025 World Cup finale.
Racing in these Mediterranean waters featured four individual events and a Mixed Team Relay, as athletes battled for the men’s and women’s Overall 2025 World Cup titles.
Buoyed by his silver medal in the 10km, France’s Logan Fontaine captured the men’s overall title, finishing ahead of his French compatriot Marc-Antoine Olivier on the final day.
On the women’s side, Ginevra Taddeucci of Italy earned a memorable victory in the 10km, which also secured her the women’s overall trophy for 2025 in front of her home crowd. Singapore 2025 double world champion Moesha Johnson also found success in the waters off Golfo Aranci, winning the women’s 3km Sprint – a win that had narrowly eluded the Australian in Singapore this past July.
The fourth and final stop of the 2026 Open Water Swimming World Cup returns to the familiar open Atlantic Ocean waters just off the coast of Setúbal, Portugal – a venue that has hosted the World Cup 16 times since 2007, as well as the Olympic Marathon Swim Qualifier events in 2012, 2016 and 2021.
Situated beside the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve, Setubal is known for challenging currents and occasional breaking waves, features typical of “real” open water swimming.
“Because there’s waves and currents, it takes a lot of strategy” to race is how Marc-Antoine Olivier once described racing in Setubal.
“You have to race and react with what the others are doing,” added Kristof Rasovszky, the Paris 2024 Olympic champion on racing in Setubal. “Of course, you have to catch up in the current, find your place in the waves and your place in the pack.
Looking ahead, the 2027 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup will get underway in October 2026, introducing a refreshed calendar that brings the season to a close ahead of the sport’s biggest stages — the World Aquatics Championships – Budapest 2027 and the LA28 Olympic Games.
This strategic shift was developed in close consultation with athletes and coaches, reflecting strong support for a more streamlined and balanced season. By better aligning the calendar with the global swimming schedule, the new structure provides optimal preparation windows, increased competitive opportunities, and a cohesive build-up to major championships.
The updated season rhythm is designed to enhance competitive momentum, elevate the athlete experience, and intensify racing ahead of the sport’s most important events.
