Centro de Natación Mundial 86, a premier competition pool in Madrid that was once the world’s largest aquatic center, will begin a €12 million ($12.3 million USD) renovation project this year.
The pool, which received 840,000 visitors in 2024, will undergo interior changes in the first of a two-phase renovation project at the end of 2025. Changes include renovation to the electricity and air conditioning system and a “modernization” of the pool itself. In 2026 and 2027, the second phase will focus on the building’s exterior and office space.
Madrid’s Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Sports will fund the project.
“[The pool] will be a completely renovated infrastructure and prepared to host national and international competitions, thus strengthening swimming in Madrid,” said the Ministry’s head, Mariano de Parco Serrano (translated from Spanish).
Centro de Natación Mundial 86, also known as M86, got its name by being the host pool of the 1986 World Championships. At over 23,000 square meters, it was at the time the world’s largest aquatic center (it is now over 30,000). It remains a premiere venue for Spanish swimming, most recently hosting the 2024 Spanish Short Course National Championships.
There is not yet information available on how the renovation will affect the pool’s space or operating hours. The pool’s website can be found here.
Hopefully this can see Spanish swimming move up a few levels. Spain has always seemed an anomaly in world swimming. Other European countries of similar size (Italy, GB, France) have always outperformed them considerably and even smaller nations have (Dutch, Nordics). Their depth has always been totally lacking with little or no relay impact on the world stage. Beyond the exceptional Belmonte I cannot think of any other ‘homegrown’ Spanish swimmer who has medalled at an Olympics.