Doha returns as the focal point for elite aquatics athletes and championship events, with the city previously playing host to the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in 2014, nine of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup meets, four World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cups and a Diving World Series event in 2009.
Following all this pool and open water action in Doha, hosting next year’s flagship international aquatics event marks the first time that Qatar – and the Middle East – will hold the World Aquatics Championships.
Where Legends Are Made | World Titles & Olympic Spots on the Line
Not only will fresh faces look to emerge on the global stage as aquatics legends look to add to their career highlights, but the 21st edition of the World Aquatics Championships will serve as a vital competition on the road for athletes and teams qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Swimmers, divers, artistic swimmers, open water athletes and water polo players all have Olympic qualification opportunities next February in Doha.
Following consultation with athletes, teams, broadcasters and other key stakeholders, World Aquatics and the local event organisers have locked in the dates and times for 21th edition of the World Aquatics Championships where some 2,500 athletes from around 200 countries are expected to take compete.
Doha 2024 will start with artistic swimming and diving on the opening day, 2 February, at the Aspire Dome and the Hamad Aquatics Centre, respectively. Keep an eye out for Japan’s Yukiko Inui on day one of artistic swimming as she defends her World titles from both the Budapest 2022 and Fukuoka 2023 Worlds in the Women’s Solo Technical.
Both diving and artistic swimming have a nine-day competition programme that will run from 2-10 February. For diving fans, the final event – the Men’s 10m Platform Final – will make for a must-watch event with Australia’s dynamic performer Cassiel Rousseau coming in as the event’s defending World champion. Following feedback from coaches, athletes and fans, the diving synchro events in Doha will forego the preliminary round and go directly to the final.
Open water swimming runs from 3-8 February at the Doha Port, starting with the Women’s 10km. Germany’s Leonie Beck and Florian Wellbrock ran the table in the individual open water events at the Fukuoka Worlds, but in the Mixed 4x1500m Relay, it was Gregorio Paltrinieri anchoring the Italians to victory.
The preliminary rounds of the women’s and men’s Water Polo Tournament get underway on the 4 and 5 of February, respectively, in the Aspire Dome. Alternating playing days, the Women’s Gold Medal Game will be played on the evening of 16 February, with the Men’s Gold Medal Game taking place one night later. The Netherlands come into Doha 2024 as the defending women’s water polo champions while Hungary won the men’s tournament in Fukuoka, its fourth World title in men’s water polo.
Swimming continues in its customary spot of anchoring the second half of the World Aquatics Championships, starting on Day 10 (11 February), and running through 18 February, with the awarding of six individual events and the Men’s and Women’s 4x100m Medley Relays on the final night of the Championships. Taking place in the Aspire Dome, the venue could be in line for history-making as swimmers set 10 World Records at the preceding World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka.
High divers will execute their incredible acrobatics from heights of 20m and 27m at the Doha Port venue. With a compact three-day competition schedule, the high divers will compete from 12-14 February. Be sure to catch the final two dives of the women’s competition on 13 February as Australia’s Rhiannan Iffland goes for her fourth consecutive World title in high diving in Doha.
World Aquatics President Husain Al-Musallam expressed his excitement for the upcoming World Aquatics Championships and noted that announcing the competition schedule is an important milestone that brings certainty to athletes and countries.
“It’s with great pleasure that we can confirm the competition schedule for the World Aquatics Championships – Doha 2024. Announcing this is an important step in organising our showcase event for our athletes. Alongside the local organisers, we are preparing the stage so that our athletes can perform at their highest levels and inspire the next generation of aquatics athletes.”
