A Breakdown of Women’s World Top-10 Rankings for the 2025 Season; USA Dominates
Over the past 12 months, the American women have proven themselves well-positioned for the push toward the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. While Team USA’s veteran contingent is rock solid, the latest rising crop of youngsters – headlined by Rylee Erisman – suggests the Red, White and Blue will be even stronger when the Summer Games return to American soil for the first time since 1996.
During the 2025 season, the United States excelled, easily leading the world with the most top-10 rankings in the 17 individual events contested in major international competition. Of the 170 top-10 positions attainable, Team USA occupied 53 or 31.1 percent. That figure is more than double its nearest pursuers, Australia with 23 top-10 rankings and China with 22 top-10 showings.
The United States claimed eight No. 1 rankings in 2025, including world records from Katie Ledecky in the 800-meter freestyle and Gretchen Walsh in the 100 butterfly. Walsh also topped the global charts in the 50 freestyle and 50 butterfly.
While 31 countries had at least one male athlete earn a top-10 global ranking, 26 nations could make that claim on the women’s side. Here is a look at which nations had a female secure a top-10 ranking during 2025, with the total number of top-10 ratings listed in parentheses.
List of Nations
United States (53)
Australia (23)
China (22)
Canada (11)
Germany (8)
Italy (8)
Great Britain (6)
Japan (5)
Russia (4)
Netherlands (3)
New Zealand (3)
South Africa (3)
Belgium (2)
Estonia (2)
France (2)
Hong Kong (2)
Ireland (2)
Lithuania (2)
Poland (2)
Argentina (1)
Belarus (1)
Czech Republic (1)
Israel (1)
Singapore (1)
Spain (1)
Sweden (1)
World Aquatics Ranking Database
