International Swimming League targets 2026 relaunch after Covid-19, war disruptions
The league, which featured Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey when it was last held in 2021, plans to feature events in North America, Europe, Asia
The International Swimming League (ISL) has announced plans to relaunch as soon as 2026 after a three-year hiatus, betting that a reshaped commercial model, stable backing and momentum from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics could sustain a global, team-based competition in one of the Games’ marquee sports.
ISL was first launched in 2019 with the goal of keeping swimming fans engaged beyond the Olympics by creating a season-long league with regular meets. It previously featured some of the sport’s biggest stars including Caeleb Dressel, Adam Peaty and Katinka Hosszu.
Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey featured in the last season it was staged, in 2021, after which it shut down after being hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and the ripple effects of the war in Ukraine on its principal backer, Ukrainian businessman Konstantin Grigorishin.
“ISL is coming back,” commissioner Ben Allen said. “And we’re really excited about the prospect of a relaunch.”
Allen said the “ideal scenario” would see ISL return in the autumn of 2026, with 2027 a firm target if that slips. The new model is designed to reduce reliance on a single investor and lean more heavily on sponsorship and media partnerships.
The planned comeback season would feature seven matches split across North America and Europe with at least one stop in Asia and possibly in the Middle East, Allen said.