World Aquatics and EBU Extend Partnership Through 2032 with SPORTFIVE

The new agreement, covering 2027 to 2032, will span 23 EBU Members, representing a strengthening of the commitment by both organizations to further grow the reach of World Aquatics events across linear television, digital platforms and social media.

The deal encompasses World Aquatics' flagship events, including the World Aquatics Championships in 2027, 2029 and 2031, the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in 2028, 2030 and 2032, as well as all World Cup competitions across Swimming, Artistic Swimming, Diving, High Diving, Open Water Swimming and Water Polo.

A centrepiece of the renewed agreement will be the World Aquatics Championships Budapest 2027, taking place from 26 June to 18 July 2027. Ahead of Budapest 2027, audiences across Europe will have the opportunity to follow the world's leading aquatic athletes, beginning with the season-opening leg of the Open Water Swimming World Cup 2026/27 in Cancún, Mexico, on 6–7 November.

Still to come on the international aquatics calendar this year is the third and final High Diving World Cup 2026 stop in Zhaoqing, China, on 21–22 November. Additionally, the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) 2026 will be staged in Beijing from 1–6 December, where the world's fastest swimmers, representing more than 200 nations, will converge on the Chinese capital for a week of elite short-course racing.

The partnership reflects the continued growth of World Aquatics and its sports across key European markets, driven by outstanding athlete performances, a refreshed global brand and increasing fan engagement.

Brent Nowicki, Executive Director of World Aquatics, said: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with the EBU and bring aquatic sports to more fans across Europe for the next six years.

“Aquatic sports continue to generate widespread engagement, and with a number of milestone events on the horizon, increased coverage across television and digital platforms will be instrumental in raising the profile of our sports and showcasing our world-class athletes. We’re excited to see how the continuation of our partnership will enable us to drive further growth in the years to come, through pinnacle events such as the World Aquatics Championships Budapest 2027, but also at other moments across our sporting calendar.”

Glen Killane, Executive Director, EBU Sport, added: “Extending our partnership with World Aquatics through to 2032 is a fantastic result for the EBU and our Members, and reflects the strength of our long-standing collaboration. 

“With Los Angeles 2028 on the horizon, and Brisbane 2032 to follow, our Members will bring audiences across Europe closer to the world's leading aquatic athletes as they build towards the next Olympic Games, sharing the performances and stories that shape their journeys. Together with World Aquatics, we're proud to build on this partnership and continue making world-class sport widely accessible through public service media.” 

Robert Müller von Vultejus, Chief Growth Officer, SPORTFIVE, said: "This agreement demonstrates the strength of public-service broadcasting in connecting world-class sport with mass audiences. As World Aquatics' international media rights partner, our objective was not only to secure long-term certainty, but to create a framework that significantly increases visibility for athletes, events and the sport as a whole.

“The renewed commitment from the EBU and its members enables World Aquatics to reach more fans across Europe than ever before, creating a true win-win scenario for broadcasters, rightsholders, athletes and audiences alike."

The agreement covers the following EBU Members at time of signature: RTSH (Albania), ORF (Austria), BNT (Bulgaria), HRT (Croatia), CBC (Cyprus), YLE (Finland), FTV (France), ARD/ZDF (Germany), ERT (Greece), DUNA (Hungary), RUV (Iceland), RTE (Ireland), RAI (Italy), LRT (Lithuania), RTCG (North Macedonia), NOS (Netherlands), TVP (Poland), RTP (Portugal), RTS (Serbia), TVRS (Slovakia), SRG (Switzerland), TRT (Turkey).