The 2025 World Aquatics Championships have officially started in Singapore. President Tharman Shanmugaratnam opened the event on Thursday at the Singtel Waterfront Theatre. He was joined by World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam and other key figures including government ministers and Olympic officials.
Before the ceremony, athletes enjoyed a scenic river cruise through Singapore, passing famous landmarks like Merlion Park and Marina Bay Sands. The opening event featured performances by local groups, including students and the popular Team Nila Beats, known for their appearances at national sporting events.
This year’s championships will see around 2,500 top athletes from over 200 countries competing in 77 medal events across six disciplines: swimming, artistic swimming, water polo, diving, high diving, and open water swimming.
For the first time, the World Aquatics Masters Championships will take place at the same time, from 26 July to 22 August. This event is for swimmers aged 25 and above, with over 6,000 participants expected.
Singapore is the first Southeast Asian country to host this major event. Competitions will take place at venues in the Singapore Sports Hub and on Sentosa Island.
Also revealed on the first day of competition were the official medals. Each medal weighs around 150 grams and is made from recycled aluminium cans, as part of the “Trash to Treasure” sustainability project. About 100,000 cans were collected by schoolchildren and turned into 5,000 medals by a local design company.
World Aquatics has also confirmed that sportswear brand 361° will continue as an official partner. The deal covers the current championship in Singapore, as well as future events in Budapest (2027) and Beijing (2029).
The World Aquatics Championships 2025 is set to be a celebration of world-class sport and community spirit, with strong focus on both inclusion and sustainability.
