European Aquatics and the European Olympic Committees (EOC) have announced that Istanbul, Türkiye, will host two major European Aquatics events as part of the 2027 European Games: the European Aquatics U23 Swimming Championships and the European Aquatics Artistic Swimming Championships.
The European Aquatics U23 Swimming Championships will take place at the beginning of the European Games programme, followed by the European Aquatics Artistic Swimming Championships, scheduled for the end of the programme. The confirmed dates of the European Games are 16 – 27 June 2027.
The two championships will bring together Europe’s leading young swimming talent and artistic swimming athletes as part of the wider 2027 European Games programme of 26 sports in Istanbul.
The announcement was marked by an official signing ceremony on Thursday, 13 August, on the pool deck during the European Aquatics Championships Paris 2026. European Aquatics President António Silva, European Aquatics Treasurer Andida Bouma and EOC President Spyros Capralos took part in the ceremony, formalising the partnership for the 2027 events.
The announcement also marks an important step forward for European Aquatics at the European Games, with pool swimming being added to the event following the inclusion ofArtistic Swimming and Diving at the 2023 European Games in Kraków-Małopolska, Poland.
The U23 Swimming Championships will provide an important platform for the next generation of European swimmers, serving as a Olympic qualification opportunity for athletes who meet the relevant qualifying times, while the Artistic Swimming Championships will bring together the continent’s leading athletes in one of Europe’s major multi-sport events. Together, the two competitions will showcase the breadth of European aquatics and offer athletes the opportunity to compete on a major multi-sport stage.
The announcement also marks an important step forward for European Aquatics at the European Games. At the 2023 European Games in Kraków-Małopolska, Poland, European Aquatics was represented by Artistic Swimming and Diving. The inclusion of the U23 Swimming Championships in the 2027 programme will further strengthen the presence of aquatics at the Games, bringing pool swimming to the event alongside Artistic Swimming.António Silva, President of European Aquatics, said:
“We are delighted to bring these two European Aquatics championships to Istanbul as part of the 2027 European Games. The European Games provide an outstanding platform for our athletes and offer a unique opportunity to bring aquatic sports to a wider audience. We are confident that Istanbul will provide an excellent setting for both competitions and we look forward to working closely with the EOC and our Turkish partners.”
Spyros Capralos, President of the European Olympic Committees, said:
“The European Games are Europe’s premier multi-sport event, and Istanbul 2027 will bring together elite athletes from across the continent, competing across 26 sports in one of the world’s great cities. Aquatics will play a central role in that, and we are proud to be partnering with European Aquatics to deliver two outstanding championships in Istanbul.”
The announcement marks an important step in European Aquatics’ preparations for Istanbul 2027, with further information on the competitions, venues and participation to be announced in due course.
