World Aquatics announces Otopeni, Romania as the upcoming host of the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships from 19-24 August 2025.
Over 600 promising young swimmers from more than 100 National Federations are expected to compete.
Located beside the Romanian capital Bucharest, Otopeni is emerging as a vibrant hub for sports events, thanks to its modern facilities and commitment to hosting world-class competitions.
Hosting the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships further positions Otopeni as a key destination in the global aquatic sports calendar. The city held the World Aquatics Men’s U20 Water Polo Championships in 2023, and nearby Bucharest will host a World Aquatics Men’s Water Polo World Cup 2025 tournament in January 2025.
The six-day competition will take place at the Aquatics Complex, a facility purpose-built for hosting world-class international swimming events with a 2,400-seating capacity. The venue opened with the European Junior Swimming Championships in 2022 and hosted the European Short Course Swimming Championships in 2023.
Olympic swimming champion Camelia Potec, now President of the Romanian Swimming and Modern Pentathlon Federation and Chair of the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships – Otopeni 2024, hailed the host city selection.
“We are proud and excited that Romania was chosen to organise the World Junior Championships, a prestigious competition that will line up the most talented young swimmers around the world.
“This announcement recognises Romania’s efforts to develop the sport and the passion with which we have been involved in promoting swimming,” added Potec. “We thank everyone who contributed to this success—from athletes, coaches, partners, and supporters.
“We are ready to offer an unforgettable show, as happened at the European Short Course Swimming Championships in 2023, and to show the world that Romania can host top-class events!”
The most recent edition of the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships was held in Netanya, Israel, in 2023. At this event, athletes set 12 new World Junior Swimming Championship Records and two World Junior Records.
Among those carving their careers on the global stage who competed at the last edition of the World Junior Swimming Championships are World medallists Eneli Jefimova of Estonia, Lana Pudar of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milla Jansen of Australia, and Kuzey Tuncelli of Turkey.
Romania’s current swimming superstar, David Popovici, solidified his standing in the sport by winning three golds and a relay silver at the 2022 edition of the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships.
The World Aquatics World Junior Swimming Championships were first held in 2006 in Rio de Janeiro (BRA). Subsequent editions of the biennial event followed in Monterrey (MEX) in 2008; Lima (PER) in 2011; Dubai (UAE) in 2013; Singapore (SGP) in 2015; Indianapolis (USA) in 2017; Budapest (HUN) in 2019; Lima (PER) in 2022, and Netanya (ISR) in 2023.
