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Laman Ismayilova

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The 2026 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup is underway at the Baku Aquatic Palace, where 216 swimmers from 44 countries are competing from October 1 to 3.

The competition is the first World Aquatics event held in Azerbaijan. The host nation has entered 15 swimmers, who will compete alongside Olympic medallists, world champions and world-record holders.

Baku is also the first stop of this year's three-stage Silk Road Tour. The series will continue in Tashkent from October 8 to 10 before concluding in Astana from October 15 to 17.

City of Winds Enters the World Aquatics Calendar

The Baku Aquatic Palace already has experience of major international competitions. It hosted swimming at the 2015 European Games and the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games.

The World Cup brings another level of competition to the venue. Australia's Cameron McEvoy, China's Qin Haiyang, Hong Kong's Siobhan Haughey, the Netherlands' Marrit Steenbergen and Poland's Katarzyna Wasick are among the leading swimmers competing in Baku.

McEvoy won the men's 50m freestyle at the Paris 2024 Olympics and holds the world record in the event. Qin was the overall winner of the 2023 Swimming World Cup.

Haughey is a four-time Olympic medallist. Steenbergen holds the women's 100m freestyle world record, while Wasick is seeking a third consecutive Triple Crown in the 50m freestyle.

Azerbaijan's team includes Ramil Valizade, Abdurrahman Rustamov, Said Hamidov, Suleyman Ismayilzade, Oktay Huseynov, Farhad Shirmammadli, Ramal Sadigli, Amin Orujlu, Fatima Alkaramova, Maryam Javadova, Anastasia Boborykina, Anastasia Gnusina, Mehri Abdurrahmanli, Vlastilina Khazyanova and Yegor Maynitski.

For the local swimmers, the competition offers a rare chance to face athletes of this level without leaving Azerbaijan.

The World Cup programme has also included a swimming clinic for young athletes. Olympic medallists Carson Foster, Siobhan Haughey and Marrit Steenbergen worked with swimmers aged 11 to 15 from local sports schools and regional clubs. The session was organised through the World Aquatics Athletes' Experience programme.

Three Cities and a Place in Beijing

The 2026 World Cup is being held under the name Silk Road Tour. Baku, Tashkent and Astana are all hosting a World Cup swimming event for the first time. World Aquatics chose the name in reference to the historic trade routes connecting Europe and Asia.

The three competitions are also connected to the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m), which will take place in Beijing in December.

A new qualification opportunity is being used during the Silk Road Tour. Swimmers who finish in the top three of an individual final and achieve the required A standard can earn a wildcard place at the Beijing championships. National federations can also enter up to three additional swimmers under the system.

The series has a total prize fund of USD 1.2 million. Additional USD 10,000 rewards are available for world-record performances and for swimmers who win the same event at all three stops, subject to the World Aquatics rules for the series.

This gives the Baku races an importance beyond the opening weekend. Some swimmers are competing for World Cup results, while others are looking for qualification opportunities and preparation ahead of Beijing.

Baku's First World Aquatics Meet Opens New Possibilities

The Baku stage will end on October 3, when the World Cup moves on to Tashkent and then Astana.

For Azerbaijan, attention will now turn to the results of its 15 swimmers. Racing against Olympic medallists and other international competitors also gives the team valuable experience on home soil.

The young swimmers who attended the clinic had the chance to meet and train with Olympic medallists. The competition has also brought another major international swimming event to the Baku Aquatic Palace.

It remains to be seen whether Azerbaijan will host more World Aquatics competitions in the future. For now, the country has hosted its first World Aquatics event, while Baku has opened the 2026 Silk Road Tour.