Kazan (RUS) and Budapest (HUN) will be the respective organisers of the 2025 and 2027 editions of the FINA World Championships and FINA World Masters Championships, after the announcement by FINA of the winning cities today in Gwangju (KOR).
Unveiling the decision in a Press Conference, the FINA President Dr Julio C. Maglione considered: “It is very important for FINA to ensure the stability of its calendar and give the appropriate time to organisers, in order to provide optimal conditions to all participants in the Championships. I am sure the Aquatic Festivals in 2025 and 2027 will stay in good hands.”
Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan and Budapest, the Magyar capital, were already the hosts of the FINA showcase, respectively in 2015 and 2017.
The bidding procedure for the organisation of these Championships initially included four other interested cities: Belgrade (SRB), Greensboro (USA), Guangzhou (CHN) and Kyev (UKR).
Photo by Istvan Derencsenyi
In the presentation to the FINA Bureau today, the Kazan delegation comprised the Minister of Sport in Tatarstan, Vladimir Leonov, and the President of the Russian Swimming Federation Vladimir Salnikov. The Budapest team included Balazs Furjes, Government Commissioner for Major Budapest Development, Alexandra Szalay-Bobrovniczky, Deputy Mayor of the city, Sandor Wladar, President of the Hungarian Swimming Federation, and Olympic champions Daniel Gyurta (Swimming, also IOC Member), Agnes Kovacs (Swimming) and Attila Vari (Water Polo).
“Thank you very much to all those who worked hard to prepare and present these bids. Aquatics is definitively stronger with you!” concluded the FINA President.
The swimming competition kicked-off today in Gwangju and will run until the end of the 18th FINA World Championships, on July 28.