The World Aquatics Championships showcase the highest levels of aquatic sport. Athletes compete in swimming, diving, high diving, water polo, artistic swimming, and open water swimming categories. In 2019, more than 2,600 athletes represented 192 different countries, breaking the event's record for most countries involved in one Championships.
Belgrade hosted the first ever World Championships in 1973. From the late 1970s until 1998, the event was held every 4 years, but since 2001 it has taken place every other year, until the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the schedule dramatically.
Fukuoka, Japan was originally supposed to host the 2021 edition of the Championships, but restrictions made this too difficult. As a result, the World Championships were held in 4 consecutive years for the first time ever: Budapest in 2022, Japan in 2023 to make up for its doubly delayed 2021 event, Qatar in 2024, and Singapore in 2025. Returning to its biennial format, the event heads to Budapest in 2027.
