World Aquatics High Diving World Cup to Return to Fort Lauderdale in 2026
The World Aquatics High Diving World Cup schedule for 2026 was announced on Tuesday, with a stop in Fort Lauderdale included.
The facility at the International Swimming Hall of Fame will host the World Cup May 15-17, concurrent with the World Junior Championships. The World Cup will also visit Porto Flavia, Italy, on July 11-12.
The Porto Flavia visit is the second on a multi-year agreement sealed last year, bringing the World Cup to the natural cliffs on the Mediterranean.
The 2026 event is the first of a three-year agreement with the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center, which includes World Junior Championships in 2026 and 2028. The facility recently completed a $47 million renovation of facilities to become one of the world’s highest permanent high diving platforms.
“Hosting the World Cup and the Junior Championships in Fort Lauderdale is a huge moment for high diving in the United States,” American reigning world champion James Lichtenstein, who trains in Fort Lauderdale, said in a World Aquatics press release. “This 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’m excited that young athletes will get to experience it. This is something I’m genuinely looking forward to.”
“Fort Lauderdale has truly become a home for high diving, and we are excited to welcome the world back in 2026,” USA Diving president Lee Michaud said. “The 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.”
The agreement in Porto Flavia is with the organizers of the Marmeeting event, an iconic venue for the sport.
“We are incredibly excited to continue this partnership with World Aquatics and to welcome the world’s best high divers back to this truly unique location,” said Franco Varese, Event Manager of the Porto Flavia event. “We 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 realization of that vision.”
Both events will be on 27 meters for men and 20 for women. The competitions will include four rounds of dives over two days.
2026 High Diving World Cup Calendar
- May 15-17: World Aquatics High Diving World Cup, Fort Lauderdale
- May 15-17: World Aquatics High Diving Junior Championships, Fort Lauderdale
- July 11-12: World Aquatics High Diving World Cup, Porto Flavia, Italy
