Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
World Aquatics has announced a new addition to the High Diving World Cup tour, with Zhaoqing, China, set to host a stop on 21-22 November 2026. This expands the World Cup to three stops, marking the first time the competition features multiple events in a single year.
Zhaoqing is significant in high diving history as the site of the world's first permanent high diving towers, with platforms of 27 meters for men and 20 meters for women, built in 2018. The city previously hosted the High Diving World Cup in 2019, where Rhiannan Iffland of Australia and Gary Hunt of France won their respective events.
Both athletes have since continued their international success, with Iffland earning four of her five world championship titles following that event, and Hunt collecting a full set of World Aquatics Championship medals in recent years.
Rhiannan Iffland commented that the new three-stop tour is a major advancement for the sport and called the return to Zhaoqing special, reflecting on her memorable experience there seven years ago. Armenian high diver Nikita Fedotov, who often trains in Zhaoqing, described the location as a "second home stop" and praised the world-class facilities.
The 2026 World Cup will begin in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, continue in Porto Flavia, Sardinia, Italy, and conclude in Zhaoqing. The addition of Zhaoqing brings the tour to three continents, expanding the sport's global reach and providing more development opportunities for athletes in Asia.
For the first time, a High Diving World Cup Trophy will be awarded to the best male and female athletes across the three stops, culminating after the Zhaoqing event. Orlando Duque, Chair of the World Aquatics High Diving Technical Committee, emphasized that Zhaoqing embodies the vision, commitment, and belief needed for the sport.