The Fort Lauderdale Open entries are officially closed. The meet filled in less than one day.
In 2025, the Fort Lauderdale Open was a crowd-pleaser and major success on the competitive calendar. It drew global attention and media after two world records were broken in one day. Katie Ledecky shattered the women’s 800-meter freestyle world record, and Gretchen Walsh broke the women’s 100-meter butterfly.
Hosted by Swim Fort Lauderdale, the 2026 Fort Lauderdale Open is sponsored by:
Speedo
City of Fort Lauderdale
Visit Lauderdale and Beach Business Improvement District
Tickets are on sale now, and tickets did sell-out last year.
Come and cheer on the best swimmers in the world!
The star-studded line-up includes…
Katie Ledecky Bobby Finke
Gretchen Walsh Caeleb Dressel
Regan Smith Carson Foster
Kate Douglass Shane Casas
Simone Manuel Luke Hobson
Alex Walsh Cris Guiliano
Summer McIntosh Leon Marchand
Emma Weyant Thomas Heilman
Katie Grimes Josh Liendo
Emma Weber Ahmed Hafnaoui
Katharine Berkoff Dylan Carter
Claire Curzan Leah Hayes
Jilian Cox Rylee Erisman
Ryan White Audrey Derivaux
And many more are entered. Over 550 swimmers will compete under the Florida sunshine.
Some of the most powerful collegiate and club programs in the country have committed to compete, including:
University of Florida
University of Virginia
University of Texas & Pros
NC State University
Ohio State University
Auburn University
Princeton University
Arizona State University
Bolles School Sharks
SwimMAC Carolina
Nashville Aquatic Club
Sarasota Sharks
New York Athletic Club
Meet Schedule
Wednesday, April 29: 1500 freestyle (timed finals)
Thursday, April 30: Prelims & Finals
Friday, May 1: Prelims & Finals
Saturday, May 2: Prelims & Finals + 800 freestyle timed finals
The Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center continues to establish itself as a cornerstone of elite-level racing in the U.S., a venue that blends its rich swimming history with a world-class renovation and fast, reliable water.
With this kind of lineup and a proven record of producing historic performances, the 2026 Fort Lauderdale Open promises to be one of the premier meets of the year.
Courtesy of the Fort Lauderdale Open