World Aquatics announced Tuesday that Canada will once again play host to a stop on the Swimming World Cup tour.
The Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre will welcome some of the world’s fastest swimmers Oct. 23-25. TPASC also hosted the short-course swimming event in Oct. 2022, which was the first World Cup in Canada since 2001 in Edmonton.
“To bring an international level competition on Canada’s soil is an awesome opportunity for us Canadians,” said two-time Olympian Finlay Knox. The High Performance Centre – Vancouver swimmer from Okotoks, Alta., is the long-course world champion in the men’s 200-m individual medley.
“We are very excited about a World Cup in Toronto this fall. The energy of the crowd, the support of the local swimming community and the pride of representing Canada in front of a home audience all make for an unforgettable experience,” added Sophie Angus, who trains at TPASC with her High Performance Centre – Ontario teammates.
Angus, a world championship medallist, earned 100-m breaststroke bronze on the Incheon, Korea, stop of last year’s World Cup tour after making her Olympic debut in Paris.
“The World Cup tour always brings a special level of excitement, with athletes from around the world pushing each other to be at their absolute best. To have that kind of elite competition at our home pool is not just electrifying—it’s a chance to showcase our talent, our passion, and what Canadian swimming is all about,” Angus said.
TPASC, which has welcomed such major events as the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, and three Olympic Swimming Trials. The series kicks off in Carmel, Indiana, Oct. 10-12 before heading to Westmont, Ill., Oct. 17-19 and wrapping up in Toronto.
Westmont hosted the recent Pro Swim Series event that saw Summer McIntosh set a meet record in the 200-m butterfly and US Open record in the 400 individual medley. McIntosh won four medals – including gold in the 400 freestyle and 400 IM – at the 2022 edition of the World Cup. Other Canadian medallists included Knox, Kylie Masse, Sydney Pickrem, Ingrid Wilm and Laila Oravsky. The event also welcomed international stars such as Trinidad and Tobago’s Dylan Carter, Australia’s Kyle Chalmers, Italy’s Thomas Ceccon, South Africa’s Chad Le Clos, Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte and Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey. Several top Americans were in action, headlined by Lilly King and Katie Ledecky, the latter of whom McIntosh beat to win the 400 free.
“We are excited to welcome the World Cup back to Toronto,” said Swimming Canada CEO Suzanne Paulins. “This event will be great for our swimming community, including local coaches, officials, and athletes. We look forward to working with World Aquatics to make the finale of the series one to remember. Thanks to TPASC, Swim Ontario, Sport Canada and the Province of Ontario for helping to make this event possible.”
The 2025 edition of the Swimming World Cup slots into the international swimming competition calendar after the long-course World Aquatics Championships July 11-Aug. 3 in Singapore and into the national calendar after the Speedo Short Course (25m) Championships Aug. 7-10 in Sherbrooke, Que.
Canadian swimmers must compete at the Speedo Short Course Championships to be eligible to participate as club swimmers similar to 2022.
Toronto was the site of the first-ever Swimming World Cup back in 1988. Canada has also hosted the short-course world championships in Windsor, Ont., in 2016 and the World Aquatics Championships in Montreal in 2005.
“Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre is proud to be part of the 2025 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup calendar, reinforcing our commitment to taking TPASC from a world-class facility to a world-leading one. We sincerely thank Swimming Canada for their continued trust in our ability to host premier international competitions. We are dedicated to elevating the athlete experience and bringing the highest level of sport to our community,” said Graham Brown, Managing Director, Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre Inc.
More than 750 athletes from 40 countries are expected to compete for an overall series prize pool of $1.2 million U.S. dollars. World Aquatics’ crown bonus structure and $10,000 bonus for setting a world record will again provide financial incentives for standout performances. Last year’s circuit saw eight world records and 18 crowns claimed, bringing the total prize money to $1.46 million US. Kate Douglass of Team USA and Leon Marchand of France captured women’s and men’s overall Swimming World Cup titles in 2024.