From October 15 to 17, the capital of Kazakhstan will host the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup Astana 2026 for the first time, reports infohub.kz.
This year, World Aquatics has combined three Eurasian cities into a single World Cup circuit: Baku, Tashkent, and Astana. The series is called the Silk Road Tour. The opening leg will take place in Baku on October 1-3, the second in Tashkent on October 8-10, and the series will conclude in Astana on October 15-17.
The Astana leg will feature 34 individual events: 17 for men and 17 for women. Athletes will also compete in men's, women's, and mixed relays.
The world's leading swimmers will be on the starting blocks, including Olympic champions and medalists, world championship medalists, and current world record holders.
In total, the three legs of the Silk Road Tour are expected to draw more than 750 athletes from over 50 countries. The total prize money for the series will be $1.2 million, excluding bonuses for world records and other achievements.