Following the tremendous success of the Medellín 2025 PanAm Aquatics Championships, PanAm Aquatics is proud to officially announce that Barranquilla, Colombia, will host the 2027 PanAm Aquatics Championships, bringing together the best aquatic athletes from across the Americas for what promises to be a historic celebration of sport, community, and continental excellence.
Set to feature all seven aquatic disciplines, swimming, diving, artistic swimming, water polo, open water swimming, high diving, and water polo 4×4, the Championships will mark a major milestone for aquatics in the Americas. For the first time in the history of the event, high diving and water polo 4×4 will be included in the program, reflecting the continued growth and evolution of the sport throughout the region.
“This event has been one of our major objectives from the beginning of this administration, and after the tremendous success of Medellín 2025, bringing the Championships to Barranquilla truly feels like the cherry on top of an extraordinary period of growth and accomplishments for our Executive Committee and the PanAm Aquatics staff,” said PanAm Aquatics President Maureen Croes.
We look forward to welcoming the entire aquatic family to Barranquilla for what promises to be a historic, vibrant, and unforgettable celebration of sport across the Americas. Known for its beautiful scenery and experience hosting major international events, Barranquilla will provide the perfect stage for athletes, coaches, technical officials, and fans from across the continent to come together and experience the very best of aquatics. The Championships will take place across two premier venues in Barranquilla: Puerto Velero, which will host open water swimming and water polo 4×4, and the Complejo Acuático Distrital Eduardo Movilla, which will welcome competitions in swimming, diving, artistic swimming, water polo, and high diving.
“Barranquilla is a city with a proven passion for sport and major international events, and we are deeply thankful to FECNA and the City of Barranquilla for their commitment, partnership, and vision in making this championship a reality. This may become the biggest aquatic gathering ever hosted on our continent, uniting athletes from across the Americas in seven disciplines and, for the first time in the history of the Championships, including High Diving and Water Polo 4×4. That is a major milestone for our sport and a reflection of the continued evolution and expansion of aquatics in the region,” said President Croes.
Beyond celebrating sport, the Championships will also play a critical role in the international pathway for athletes across the Americas. The event will serve as a key qualification opportunity toward the Lima 2027 Pan American Games and the Budapest 2027 World Aquatics Championships for swimming, water Polo, and water polo 4×4, while also offering swimmers the opportunity to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
PanAm Aquatics Chief Operations Officer Álvaro del Pozo emphasized the importance of creating an athlete-centered environment as preparations for the event begin. “The foundations are clearly in place to deliver an excellent event experience,” he said. “At this stage, the focus should now shift toward refining the operational details and athlete-centered planning to ensure the best possible environment and conditions for all participants.”
For athletes, the Championships represent much more than competition. They are an opportunity to connect, represent their nations, and be part of something larger than themselves–a continental gathering that celebrates excellence, unity, and the future of aquatics in the Americas.
“After the incredible energy and momentum created in Medellín, Barranquilla 2027 represents another defining moment for athletes across the Americas,” said Valerie Gruest, Chair of the PanAm Aquatics Athletes Committee. “These Championships are more than a competition venue; they are a space where athletes from every discipline and every corner of the continent come together to inspire one another, represent their countries, and experience the strength of our aquatic community. Having all seven disciplines united in one event creates a truly unique atmosphere, and we cannot wait to welcome athletes to be part of this historic celebration of aquatics in the Americas.”
Medellín was only the beginning. As aquatics in the Americas continues to grow, Barranquilla 2027 is set to elevate the PanAm Aquatics Championships to new heights and create an unforgettable experience for the entire PanAm Aquatics community.
The road to Barranquilla starts now, and we cannot wait to welcome the aquatic community in the Americas for what promises to be one of the most exciting and significant Championships in the history of the continent.
