Lausanne, Switzerland, July 30, 2026: World Aquatics has confirmed the prize money structure for the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) – Beijing 2026.
A total prize pool of at least USD 2,025,000 will be on offer to the best-performing swimmers and relay teams at December's event.
The prize money will be distributed equally between men and women, across both individual events and relays, rewarding finishes from first through to eighth place. Winners in every individual and relay event will receive USD 10,000, with USD 8,000 for second place and USD 2,000 for eighth place.
Additional bonuses will reward standout performances. Swimmers who set a new world record during the short-course championships will receive USD 25,000 for each record broken, in addition to their placement prize money.
There is also a bonus on offer for swimmers who complete a “Double Crown” – winning the same event at all three stops of the 2026 Swimming World Cup Silk Road Tour series as well as at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m). That bonus has been increased for 2026, rising from USD 10,000 to USD 15,000 per Double Crown achieved.
“A prize pool of this scale for Beijing 2026 reflects our continued investment in the athletes who make aquatic sport what it is,” said World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam.
"We want every swimmer stepping on to the blocks in Beijing to know their performance will be properly rewarded."
Prize money will be paid by World Aquatics directly to the relevant member federation, following confirmation of all doping control test results.
The World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) 2026 will be held in Beijing from December 1-6.