Swimming World Cup 2026: three Silk Road stops in Myrtha pools
The 2026 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup begins in Baku, a gateway city on the western edge of the Silk Road, on the shores of the Caspian Sea. The opening stop takes place at the same aquatic centre that hosted the inaugural European Games in 2015. From 1 to 3 October, the Azerbaijani capital will welcome the first of three stops, followed by Tashkent (8–10 October) and Astana (15–17 October). All three competitions will be held in Myrtha pools.
For Azerbaijan, the event marks another first: it will be the country’s first time hosting a World Aquatics event.
At least 180 athletes from 37 countries are expected in Baku. The programme features 34 events, the same number as at the following stop in Tashkent.
The Baku Aquatic Palace already has a history with Myrtha. Its three indoor pools were installed in the mid-2010s: a competition pool, a diving pool and a warm-up pool with a movable wall. Ahead of the World Cup, the venue has been updated to meet the requirements of short-course competition. The most visible change is to the competition pool. With the addition of a Myrtha movable bulkhead, it can now be configured for 25 m racing.
Below the waterline, Myrtha has renovated the floors of all three pools with R-Evolution, a membrane made with 60% recycled material and fully recyclable at the end of its life. The original mosaic targets have been replaced with Myrtha Skin, while the lane markings have been renewed.
The work has extended the life of the existing facility while maintaining its performance and adding flexibility through the new bulkhead.
From Baku to Tashkent and Astana, swimmers will compete in Myrtha pools throughout the circuit. A World Aquatics partner since 2009, Myrtha Pools has provided the setting for 197 swimming world records. Will the Silk Road Tour take that number to 200?
