FINA worked closely with the IOC Sports Department and the leadership of FINA Technical Committees, and consulted with National Member Federations, to develop the aquatics qualification principles for the Paris 2024 Games.

Among the highlights:

  • Athletes will compete in 49 Olympic medal events across five aquatics disciplines – swimming, artistic swimming, open water swimming, diving, water polo – the most events of any International Federation
  • Olympic events will take place across 16 days of competition (27 July – 11 August) with a total of 1,392 places reserved for aquatics athletes
  • The first swimming gold medal race takes place on 27 July, with all swimming finals taking place in the evening

FINA President Husain Al-Musallam commented:

“Our ambition is to give aquatics athletes great opportunities to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games through high-quality competitions. We were guided by the mission to ensure the fairness of the qualification process for athletes. This was a truly collaborative effort. It requires a delicate balance, but is one that we were able to achieve together.”

The detailed session calendar will now be developed with the Paris 2024 Olympic organisers and the IOC, for release in due course.

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will feature 32 sports spread over 19 days of competition. The events start on 24 July, two days before the Opening Ceremony, and run through 11 August.

Paris previously hosted the Olympic Games in 1900 and 1924. 

Swimming

Held at the world-class, multi-purpose Paris La Defense Arena, Europe's largest indoor arena, swimming action will get underway on 27 July, with the finals spanning over nine days for the first time, concluding on 4 August.  

A total of 852 athletes will compete in the pool, across 35 swimming medal events. Through the National Olympic Committees (NOCs), each country will have the opportunity to send at least two athletes to Paris, demonstrating the universal appeal of swimming.

Following the successful Olympic debut of the 4x100m Mixed Medley Relay in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the mixed-gender competition is back on the Paris 2024 Olympic programme and will take place for the second time.

Here are the Olympic Qualification System Principles for Swimming: Paris 2024 Qualification System - Swimming

Marathon Swimming

Marathon swimming, held in the River Seine in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, at Pont Alexandre III, and will take place from 8-9 August.

A total of 44 athletes - 22 men and 22 women - will qualify to compete in the men’s and women’s Marathon Swimming events, with athletes qualifying through the 21st FINA World Championships in Doha, Qatar. Pool swimmers that achieve the automatic Olympic Qualification Time in either the 800m or 1500m freestyle will be eligible to compete for their country in the Paris 2024 Marathon Swimming event.

Here are the Olympic Qualification System Principles for Marathon Swimming: Paris 2024 Qualification System - Marathon Swimming

Water Polo

Water Polo will see 12 men’s teams and 10 women’s teams, 264 athletes in total, in action at the 6,000 capacity Aquatics Centre for the Preliminaries Phase, from 27 July – 4 August, and then will continue at the Paris La Defense Arena for the Finals Phase from 5-11 August.

Here are the Olympic Qualification System Principles for Water Polo: Paris 2024 Qualification System - Water Polo

Diving

Diving will see 136 athletes compete at the Aquatics Centre from 27 July to 10 August. This venue will also host the world’s best artistic swimmers and water polo athletes.

Eight diving medal events per gender are on the Paris 2024 Olympic programme.  

Here are the Olympic Qualification System Principles for Diving: Paris 2024 Qualification System - Diving

Artistic Swimming

In artistic swimming, 96 athletes will compete at the Aquatics Centre, the only permanent sports facility to be built for the Paris 2024 Games, from 5-10 August.

Artistic Swimming will have two medal events, the Duets and Teams, on the Paris 2024 Olympic programme.

Here are the Olympic Qualification System Principles for Artistic Swimming: Paris 2024 Qualification System - Artistic Swimming