Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
After an extensive 2025 season in North America, the 2026 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup will feature three stops along the historic Silk Road: Baku, Azerbaijan (1-3 October), Tashkent, Uzbekistan (8-10 October), and Astana, Kazakhstan (15-17 October). Baku will host the first World Aquatics event in Azerbaijan at the Aquatic Palace, while Tashkent will stage its first international swimming competition at the Olympic City venue. Astana, hosting its fourth World Aquatics event, will conclude the three-week circuit.
A new wild card system will be introduced, enabling swimmers who finish in the top three of an individual final and achieve an A standard time at any stop to qualify directly for the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Beijing. Each Member Federation may enter up to three additional swimmers through this route.
The total prize pool for the Swimming World Cup is USD $1.2 million, excluding bonuses for World Records and 'Crown-winning' athletes—those who win the same event at all three stops or two of three in the 800m or 1500m Freestyle. World Record-setters and Crown winners each receive an extra USD $10,000 in addition to standard prize money. The event is expected to attract over 750 athletes from more than 50 nations.
World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam expressed pride in bringing the tour to historically and culturally significant cities, emphasizing the opportunity to promote elite swimming to new regions and local audiences. Azerbaijan Swimming Federation President Zaur Aliyev highlighted the federation's commitment to high standards and anticipated the competition would foster swimming and aquatic sports in the region, inspiring youth participation.