Gwangju (KOR) to host FINA World Championships in 2019, Budapest (HUN) in 2021

Read official press release on FINA.org

The cities of Gwangju (KOR) in 2019 and Budapest (HUN) in 2021 will be the hosts of the FINA World Championships, after the decision of the FINA Bureau today in Barcelona.

The presentation of the candidates started with the City of Gwangju, led by its Mayor Kang Un-Tae and an important delegation comprising municipal and sport authorities.

Budapest then unveiled its project, namely the construction of a new aquatic centre, and the Magyar Prime Minister Viktor Orban led a delegation also including top-Hungarian athletes.

#Worlds 2019: Gwangju. #Worlds 2021: Budapest pic.twitter.com/u4BURSlE1b

— FINA (@fina1908) July 19, 2013

After these two presentations, the FINA Bureau considered that both candidates fulfilled all the FINA bidding requirements, awarding at the same time the 2019 and 2021 World Championships. For these two events, FINA had received interest from the National Federations/Cities of Baku (AZE), Budapest (HUN), Gwangju (KOR) and from United Arab Emirates.

Before Gwangju and Budapest, FINA’s major event will be held in Kazan (RUS) in 2015 and Guadalajara (MEX) in 2017. Also in 2017, the Hungarian capital will host the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships.

At the end of the ceremony announcing the host bids, and after the signatures of the respective contracts by Mr. Un-Tae and Mr. Orban, the FINA President Dr. Julio C. Maglione expressed his satisfaction and confidence on the level of these candidates:

“Those were top-level presentations, led by two personalities from Korea and Hungary. The FINA World Championships in 2019 and 2021 will be two significant milestones in the FINA history, and we are sure that in both cases the venues, the competition and the enthusiasm of the people in Gwangju and Budapest will greatly enhance our Aquatic Festival”.