Courtesy: Torin Koos \/ World Aquatics<\/p>\n
World Aquatics sets the High Diving World Cup calendar for 2026 with series stops in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (USA) and Porto Flavia in Iglesias, Sardinia (ITA).<\/p>\n
In addition to welcoming back the sport\u2019s premier annual competition, Fort Lauderdale will also host the second edition of the World Aquatics High Diving Junior Championships in 2026, followed again by the junior event in 2028.<\/p>\n
2026 High Diving Calendar<\/p>\n
15\u201317 May \u2013 World Aquatics High Diving World Cup, Fort Lauderdale (USA)
\n15\u201317 May \u2013 World Aquatics High Diving Junior Championships, Fort Lauderdale (USA)
\n11\u201312 July \u2013 World Aquatics High Diving World Cup, Porto Flavia (ITA)<\/p>\n
Multi-Year Hosting Agreements Strengthen Long-Term Stability<\/p>\n
Last June,\u00a0World Aquatics signed a multi-year hosting agreement<\/a>\u00a0with Italy\u2019s\u00a0iconic\u00a0Marmeeting\u00a0event<\/a>, securing Porto Flavia as a regular World Cup venue. The event debuted in August 2025 with a new concept for World Aquatics high diving competitions: athletes launching from dramatic natural cliffs directly into the Mediterranean Sea, rather than from a constructed tower.<\/p>\n Most recently, World Aquatics reached an agreement with organisers in Fort Lauderdale to hold three consecutive High Diving World Cup events from 2026 to 2028, along with the High Diving Junior Championships in 2026 and 2028.<\/p>\n Fort Lauderdale, home to the\u00a0International Swimming Hall of Fame<\/a>, has long been a cornerstone of elite aquatic sports. Recently, the city\u00a0completed a $47 million renovation<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center<\/a>, which now features one of the world\u2019s highest permanent high diving platforms. In 2023, the venue hosted the\u00a0World Aquatics High Diving World Cup<\/a>\u00a0for the first time, solidifying its role as a key location for the sport\u2019s growth.<\/p>\n When the World Cup returns to the United States next season, it will do so with a compelling new storyline: the competition venue is home to defending world champion and reigning World Cup winner,\u00a0James Lichtenstein<\/a>, where he trains year-round. The 31-year-old American secured both his world title and World Cup crown in 2025 with clutch, come-from-behind final dives utilising his signature high-difficulty back quint, marking a breakthrough moment for high diving in the United States.<\/p>\n \u201cHosting the World Cup and the Junior Championships in Fort Lauderdale is a huge moment for high diving in the United States,\u201d said Lichtenstein. \u201cThis community helped shape my career, and to see the sport return here with this level of visibility means a lot. This tower is the best place in the world to train and compete, and I\u2019m excited that young athletes will get to experience it. This is something I\u2019m genuinely looking forward to.\u201d<\/p>\n USA Diving President Lee Michaud<\/a> also proudly welcomed the announcement of Fort Lauderdale as host.<\/p>\n \u201cFort Lauderdale has truly become a home for high diving, and we are excited to welcome the world back in 2026,\u201d said Michaud. \u201cThe Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center provides an environment where athletes can perform at their best, enhanced by the vibrant energy of the city and its coastline. We look forward to supporting another successful World Cup and are eager to see the next generation of young athletes take the stage during the Junior Championships.\u201d<\/p>\n Porto Flavia | \u201cThis Location Is Iconic and So Spectacular\u201d<\/p>\n The World Aquatics High Diving World Cup returns to Porto Flavia, Italy, in July 2026, with the Sardinian venue set to host its second consecutive World Cup following a successful debut in August 2025.<\/p>\n In June, World Aquatics formalised a multi-year hosting agreement with organisers of the iconic Marmeeting event, confirming Porto Flavia as a regular stop on the High Diving World Cup circuit. The natural cliffside setting\u2014where athletes dive directly into the Mediterranean Sea\u2014has quickly established itself as one of the most distinctive backdrops in the sport.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are incredibly excited to continue this partnership with World Aquatics and to welcome the world\u2019s best high divers back to this truly unique location,\u201d said Franco Varese, Event Manager of the Porto Flavia event. \u201cWe share a long-term vision with World Aquatics and are proud to keep building on what we have created through the Marmeeting event. Hosting the High Diving World Cup again in Sardinia is a further realisation of that vision.\u201d<\/p>\n Five-time world champion and reigning 2025 High Diving World Cup winner\u00a0Rhiannan Iffland<\/a>\u00a0has\u00a0previously highlighted the significance of the venue<\/a>, noting that \u201cthis location itself is iconic and so spectacular\u2014that always adds to how special the competition feels.\u201d<\/p>\n Competition Format and Participation<\/p>\n Athletes will compete from the 27m (men) and 20m (women) platforms in both Fort Lauderdale and Porto Flavia over a four-dive, two-day competition period.<\/p>\n Emerging Elite: Fort Lauderdale to Host Junior Championships in 2026 and 2028<\/p>\n Following the inaugural\u00a0World Aquatics High Diving Junior Championships<\/a>, held in Brasilia (BRA) in 2024, the youth categories will return with even greater momentum. All junior athletes (age groups 15-16 and 17-19) will compete from the 15m tower.<\/p>\n Overseeing the junior high diving development programme is 2013 world champion and current World Aquatics High Diving Chair\u00a0Orlando Duque<\/a>, one of the sport\u2019s most respected figures.<\/p>\n \u201cWorking with these young high divers has been incredibly inspiring,\u201d said Duque. \u201cThe sport resonates naturally with younger athletes, and we\u2019re seeing a level of skill and confidence that continues to rise each season. The senior athletes show what is possible today, while the juniors are already pushing toward what will be possible in the future from 27m and 20m.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cToday\u2019s announcement is an important step forward for the sport,\u201d added Duque. \u201cThe 2026 World Cup season offers a clear pathway toward the World Aquatics Championships \u2013 Budapest 2027, while also giving junior athletes more opportunities to learn from their heroes. Having certainty that Fort Lauderdale will host in both 2026 and 2028 is a major advantage as we continue building toward our long-term objectives \u2014 including the ambition of seeing high diving on the programme at the\u00a0Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n High Diving History at World Aquatics<\/p>\n Since its debut at the\u00a02013 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona<\/a>, high diving has continued to grow in both scale and profile. The sport returned to the global championship stage for the seventh time at the\u00a0World Aquatics Championships \u2013 Singapore 2025<\/a>.<\/p>\n Strong Storytelling and Media Opportunities in High Diving | \u201cExpanding Opportunities at Every Level\u201d<\/p>\n