World Aquatics has confirmed Otopeni, Romania as the host of the 2025 World Junior Swimming Championships. This will be Romania’s first time hosting the World Junior Swimming Championships, though Otopeni has become a fairly-regular host on the European circuit.
The 2025 World Junior Swimming Championships will be held August 19-24, 2025.
The Otopeni Swimming Complex near the capital Bucharest is the country’s largest aquatic complex. It features a 50 meter x 25 meter main competition pool, a 25 meter x 15 meter competition pool, a 25 meterx21 meter diving pool, a 12.2 meter leisure pool, and a 9.8 meter “paddling pool.” The facility has capacity for 2,797 spectators.
Opened in 2021 at a cost of 34 million Euros (about $41 million in 2021 US Dollars), the pool has quickly become part of Romania’s ascent into the regular hosting rotation. The pool hosted the 2022 European Junior Swimming Championships, the 2023 European Short Course Swimming Championships, and the 2023 World Aquatics Men’s U20 Water Polo Championships.
Swimmers born in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 are eligible for the 2025 edition of the biannual championship for the world’s best swimmers aged 14-18 (based on age as of December 31st).
Romania ranks 15th in the all-time medals table at the World Junior Championships with 6 gold, 4 silver, and 3 bronze medals. Four of those medals, and the Meet Records in the 100 and 200 free, were set by global superstar David Popovici in 2022, the same year wher he won matching 100 free and 200 free gold medals at the senior World Aquatics Championships.
Olympic swimming champion Camelia Potec, now President of the Romanian Swimming and Modern Pentathlon Federation and Chair of the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships – Otopeni 2024, hailed the host city selection.
“We are proud and excited that Romania was chosen to organize the World Junior Championships, a prestigious competition that will line up the most talented young swimmers around the world.
“This announcement recognizes Romania’s efforts to develop the sport and the passion with which we have been involved in promoting swimming,” added Potec. “We thank everyone who contributed to this success—from athletes, coaches, partners, and supporters.
“We are ready to offer an unforgettable show, as happened at the European Short Course Swimming Championships in 2023, and to show the world that Romania can host top-class events!”
Hosting History, World Aquatics World Junior Swimming Championships
| Number | Year | Location | Dates | Number of swimmers |
Number of countries |
Events | Top nation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2006 |  Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
22–27 August | 685 | 81 | 40 |  Italy |
| 2 | 2008 |  Monterrey, Mexico |
8–12 July | 480 | 61 | 40 |  United States |
| 3 | 2011 |  Lima, Peru |
16–21 August | 528 | 58 | 40 | United States |
| 4 | 2013 |  Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
26–31 August | 900 | 95 | 42 |  Australia |
| 5 | 2015 |  Kallang, Singapore[3] |
25–30 August | 700 | 87 | 42 | Australia |
| 6 | 2017 |  Indianapolis, USA[3] |
23–28 August | 619 | 90 | 42 | United States |
| 7 | 2019 |  Budapest, Hungary |
20–25 August | 814 | 126 | 42 | United States |
| 8 | 2022 | Lima, Peru[4] |
30 August – 4 September | 509 | 87 | 42 |  Japan |
| 9 | 2023 |  Netanya, Israel |
4–9 September | 648 | 93 | 42 | United States |
| 9 | 2025 |  Otopeni, Romania |
19-14 August |
