The Golden Goggle Awards are heading back to Denver, Colorado, in 2026, USA Swimming confirmed on its website, marking the second-straight year the event will be held in the Mile High City.
The ceremony will return to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, Sept. 26. Tickets are not yet available.
The event has moved away from its early history, when 18 of its first 21 ceremonies were held in either New York or California since its launch in 2004, with the only exceptions being a virtual event in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Miami in 2021, and Indianapolis in 2024.
Hosting History
| Year | City, State |
| 2025 | Denver, Colorado |
| 2024 | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| 2023 | Los Angeles, California |
| 2022 | New York City, New York |
| 2021 | Miami, Florida |
| 2020 | Virtual (due to COVID-19 pandemic) |
| 2019 | Los Angeles, California |
| 2018 | New York City, New York |
| 2017 | Los Angeles, California |
| 2016 | New York City, New York |
| 2015 | Los Angeles, California |
| 2014 | New York City, New York |
| 2013 | Los Angeles, California |
| 2012 | New York City, New York |
| 2011 | Los Angeles, California |
| 2010 | New York City, New York |
| 2009 | Beverly Hills, California |
| 2008 | New York City, New York |
| 2007 | Beverly Hills, California |
| 2006 | Beverly Hills, California |
| 2005 | New York City, New York |
| 2004 | New York City, New York |
The Golden Goggle Awards, hosted by the USA Swimming Foundation, celebrate the achievements of athletes who competed as part of the USA Swimming National Team over the past year. The ceremony typically features nine primary award categories: Breakout Performer of the Year, Coach of the Year, Perseverance Award, Relay Performance of the Year, Male Race of the Year, Female Race of the Year, Male Athlete of the Year, Female Athlete of the Year, and Open Water Athlete of the Year. In 2025, however, the Breakout Performer, Perseverance Award, and both Race of the Year categories were dropped from the program.
Finalists in each category are determined by USA Swimming ahead of time, with winners selected through a combination of fan votes and decisions from a selection committee.
Beyond recognizing athletic excellence, the Golden Goggle Awards serves as a major fundraising event for the USA Swimming Foundation. The ceremony features an online auction, with all proceeds supporting the foundation’s mission to Save Lives, Build Champions, and Impact Communities. The Foundation provides learn-to-swim grants and community impact grants to programs across the country while supporting the U.S. National Team and development efforts aimed at strengthening the future of USA Swimming’s programs and services.
Hopefully they’ll have more awards than in 2025 and that they actually stream it. Last years event felt so disappointing
and they will make it IMPOSSIBLE for you to see it
You can come to our watch party in the daycare room.
https://x.com/Braden_Keith/status/1972119616957600165
God, that’s classic USA Swimming.
“Hey so there’s a media outlet who actually wants to cover this thing, what should we do?”
“Give ‘em the finger!”