Labor is making a splash with Victoria to host the SwimGP in 2026 and the Australian Short Course Championships in 2028.
Held at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre in Albert Park, young Victorian athletes will be given the chance to see Australia’s best swimmers compete on home soil.
The SwimGP is a world-first event set to feature Australia’s leading swimmers over two action-packed nights.
Mollie O’Callaghan, Flynn Southam, Lani Pallister, Col Pearse and Sam Williamson are expected to contest this year’s SwimGP.
The Australian Short Course Championships are the premier event for Australian swimmers in a 25-metre pool.
This event serves as the selection event for the 2028 World Short Course Championships in Beijing.
The meets will bolster Victoria’s major events calendar which generates $3.64 billion for the state’s economy.
Labor is locking in events that boost local economies and give sporting fans a chance to see the very best right here in Victoria, bringing visitors through the doors of local businesses.
SwimGP 2026 will take place from the 13-14 November 2026, with tickets on sale from Monday 21 September.
As stated by Minister for Sport Steve Dimopoulos
“Labor is lining up events that bring significant benefits for our economy, tourism industry and sporting community.”
“These meets will inspire the next generation of Victorian swimmers while showcasing Melbourne to audiences across Australia and around the world reinforcing our reputation as the nation’s sporting capital.”
As stated by Member for Albert Park Nina Taylor
“These events will add to the already jam-packed calendar here in Albert Park, bringing even more elite competition to our world-class sporting facilities.”
As stated by Swimming Australia CEO Rob Woodhouse
“We’re very excited to be bringing a number of swimming events to Melbourne, including the newly launched SwimGP which will bring fans from across the city, and country, into the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre,”
“SwimGP is an exciting next step in our planning ahead of 2032 to engage swimming fans in the theatre and entertainment of our sport, and the Australian Short Course Championships are an important event in our regular calendar and will serve as a selection event for the 2028 World Short Course Championships later that year. We thank the Victorian
