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The International Swimming League plans to restart as early as 2026 after a three-year hiatus, betting that a revamped commercial model, steady support and momentum from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics can bolster global team competition in one of the Games' biggest sports.
The ISL was first launched in 2019 with the aim of attracting the attention of swimming enthusiasts after the Olympics by creating a seasonal league with regular competitions. It has previously featured some of the sport's biggest stars, including Caeleb Dressel, Adam Peaty and Katinka Hosszu.
The ISL last played a season in 2021 and folded due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ripple effects of the war in Ukraine on its main sponsor, Ukrainian businessman Konstantin Grigorishin.
“ISL is back,” commissioner Ben Allen told Reuters.
“And we’re very excited about the prospect of a restart.”
Allen said the “ideal scenario” would see the ISL returning in the fall of 2026, with 2027 being the firm target if there was a disruption. The new model is designed to reduce dependence on a single investor and rely more on sponsorships and media partnerships.
Bright comeback
According to Allen, the planned return season will consist of seven matches in North America and Europe, with at least one stop in Asia and possibly the Middle East.
The United States, which he described as the ISL's largest market, is expected to host events after previous stops including the 2019 final at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, where a temporary swimming pool was built at the arena.
He said the league used the break to change the format following feedback from athletes, coaches, broadcasters and fans to make it even better for television.
As part of its relaunch planning, ISL is considering changes to its event schedule. The league previously held sessions over two days, and Allen said the league is now looking at a one-day format that could make events easier for traveling fans and broadcasters.
“We're going to be doing a couple of experiments and tests over the next couple of months to find out,” Allen said.
Olympic impulse
The league's planned return will come as swimming moves closer to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which Allen said will create an opportunity to broaden the sport's appeal beyond the Olympic window and provide athletes with a more consistent professional platform to grow their public profile.
He said the ISL is committed to keeping swimmers visible throughout the Olympic cycle, arguing that many athletes disappear from the public eye in the months following the Games and the league's focus on entertainment will remain central.
He described the ISL competition as a fast-paced production with poolside staging, graphics, lasers and a DJ with minimal downtime between races.
He mentioned the 2019 and 2021 seasons, in which the overall title was decided in the final race, highlighting the ISL's efforts to create a close, narrative-driven competition.
Asked about legal disputes with swimming's governing body World Aquatics, Allen said the league was preparing to return regardless of the result.
“Simply put, no,” Allen said when asked if litigation would be an obstacle. In September, World Aquatics agreed to a US$4.6 million payment to professional swimmers, allowing them to compete in the ISL without losing their Olympic eligibility.
World Aquatics denied any wrongdoing in agreeing to settle the lawsuit filed in 2018. The deal did not affect a related lawsuit filed by ISL the same year against World Aquatics, which is ongoing.
