Ibiza will host the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup for the third consecutive year, after the international governing body confirmed the island as the competition's third stop for the 2026/27 season. The event will take place on 23 and 24 April 2027, bringing some of the world's leading open-water swimmers back to the Balearic Islands.
The announcement, made by World Aquatics on 6 November 2026, completes the five-stop calendar for a landmark edition of the competition. For the first time, the World Cup season will extend across two calendar years, beginning in November 2026 and concluding in May 2027.
Ibiza's return to the international circuit follows two consecutive editions in 2025 and 2026, further establishing the island as a regular host of elite open-water swimming.
Ibiza Returns for a Third Consecutive Year
The confirmation means Ibiza will once again feature among the international destinations hosting the world's leading open-water athletes.
The island first welcomed the World Cup in 2025, before returning to the calendar in April 2026. The latest announcement secures its place for a third successive year.
World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam welcomed Ibiza's continued involvement, highlighting the island's setting and its record as a host of previous World Cup competitions.
Fernando Carpena, president of the Royal Spanish Swimming Federation (RFEN), also welcomed the confirmation, describing Ibiza as an established destination for international open-water swimming.
The detailed programme for the April 2027 competition, including the precise location, course and daily race schedule, has not yet been announced in the confirmation.
The Complete 2026/27 World Cup Calendar
The 2026/27 edition will feature five stops across Mexico, Egypt, Spain, Italy and Portugal.
The competition begins in Cancún, Mexico, on 6 and 7 November 2026, before moving to Somabay, Egypt, on 19 and 20 March 2027.
Ibiza will host the third stage on 23 and 24 April, followed by Golfo Aranci in Sardinia, Italy, on 30 April and 1 May. The season will conclude in Setúbal, Portugal, on 28 and 29 May 2027.
The two Mediterranean stops in Ibiza and Golfo Aranci will take place on consecutive weekends, giving athletes a further opportunity to compete in the region before the final round in Portugal.
World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup 2026/27
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Cancún, Mexico: 6–7 November 2026
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Somabay, Egypt: 19–20 March 2027
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Ibiza, Spain: 23–24 April 2027
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Golfo Aranci, Italy: 30 April–1 May 2027
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Setúbal, Portugal: 28–29 May 2027
A New Two-Year Format for the World Cup
The 2026/27 season introduces a significant change to the competition's calendar. Instead of taking place entirely within one calendar year, the World Cup will run from November 2026 through to May 2027.
According to World Aquatics, the revised format follows feedback from the open-water swimming community. The aim is to bring the competition calendar into closer alignment with major international events while giving athletes and their teams better opportunities to plan their preparation.
The season will also provide a competitive build-up to the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest in July 2027. The open-water swimming events at the championships are scheduled for 3–8 July.
World-Class Athletes Return to the Mediterranean
Ibiza's previous editions have attracted some of the leading names in international open-water swimming.
Australia's Moesha Johnson and Hungary's David Betlehem were among the standout performers in the 2026 Ibiza competition. Johnson secured victories in the women's 10km and 3km Knockout Sprint events, while Betlehem also claimed a major victory during the island's World Cup weekend.
Both athletes were identified by World Aquatics as the previous season's overall World Cup leaders ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
Their performances underline the level of competition Ibiza has attracted in recent years, with Olympic medallists, world champions and established international specialists taking part.
Ibiza Strengthens Its Position on the International Sporting Calendar
The return of the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup adds another major international sporting event to Ibiza's calendar for spring 2027.
Beyond its established reputation as a Mediterranean holiday destination, the island has increasingly featured in international sporting competitions, with its coastal waters providing the setting for elite open-water racing.
The third consecutive World Cup appearance represents continuity for the island and its organisers, while the new two-year format places the competition within a wider international sporting programme leading towards the Budapest 2027 World Championships.
With the dates now confirmed, attention will turn to preparations for the April event and the announcement of further details, including the race programme and exact competition location.