The bidding process for the 2021 and 2023 FINA World Championships is underway, with ten cities from seven countries across four continents having expressed an interest. 

Budapest had originally been selected for the 2021 Games, but its hosting was brought forward to 2017 when Guadalajara, Mexico pulled out of hosting the 2021 edition. 

FINA said it has received expressions of interest from Argentina, Australia (Melbourne or Sydney), China (Wuhan or Nanjing), Germany (two potential cities), Japan, Turkey and Qatar to host the showcase aquatics event.

FINA said it is in discussions with each of the potential candidates, providing them with all the necessary information to plan their proposals. 

An information meeting will take place on 30 June 2015 for nations and cities that have shown an interest in bidding.

FINA said it hopes to announce the chosen host cities of the 2021 and 2023 FINA World Championships by the end of 2015.

“We are delighted with the strong level of interest from a number of different cities who want to host swimming’s showcase event,” said FINA President, Dr. Julio C. Maglione.

“I believe that they are all attracted by the evidence that the FINA World Championships brings clear economic, social, cultural, tourism and sports impacts to every host city. There is a measurable benefit through better youth and community facilities, through high-performance opportunities, and through showcasing your city to a global audience.”

The FINA World Championships is one of world’s most followed international sport events. A cumulative audience of 4.5 billion watched the 2013 FINA World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, across six platforms.

The 2015 FINA World Championships will take place in Russia for the first time on 24 July to 9 August 2015, in the city of Kazan. 2,200 athletes from a record 188 countries have registered so far.

The next two editions will be held in Budapest, Hungary, in 2017 and in Gwangju, Korea, in 2019. 

FINA, the Fédération Internationale de Natation, is the governing body for aquatics worldwide. Its five disciplines – swimming, open water swimming, diving, water polo and synchronised swimming – are all included in the Olympic programme.

FINA’s growing partnership with Chinese domestic appliance company Midea will run to 2017 and boost aquatics events in China, the international sports federation said on Thursday.

For Midea, the partnership brings access to the Russian market through FINA’s flagship event.

“We are very excited by the increased involvement of Midea and the sponsorship activation deployed for the World Championships in Kazan,” FINA Executive Director Cornel Marculescu said at a press conference in Russia.

“FINA is overall very satisfied with this agreement with Midea, a strong partner for the two biggest events in the aquatic calendar, the FINA World Championships and the FINA World Swimming Championships.

“Being a Chinese partner, this association will also enhance the popularity of these two events in a key market for FINA, where our six disciplines have a long standing tradition."

FINA and Midea’s partnership for the FINA World Championships, the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) and the World Record Programme was launched in 2010 and renewed in 2014.

The 16th FINA World Championships take place in Kazan, Russia, from July 24 - August 9, 2015.

Midea is using the event to launch their brand in Russia.

General Manager of Midea Russia, Mr. Alexey Obukhov, said: “Midea is certainly one of the biggest producers in the world, and while our launching product range here today appears modest in comparison to what we sell in other markets, today’s conference is also to give everyone a clear idea about the future for Midea in the Russian market.”

Midea, a Forbes 500 company headquartered in China, is a leader in developing and manufacturing domestic appliances. As well as Russia, the company has its sights on Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Canada, the US, Egypt, India, Russia, Belarus and Southeast Asian countries for future development.