The International Swimming League (ISL) is set to make a comeback after a five-year break with an All-Star Match at the London Aquatics Centre on December 19, as announced by the league. This event marks the initial step towards the league’s anticipated full revival.
Featuring some of the top swimmers globally, the team-based competition will offer a substantial prize purse, with specific details to be disclosed at a later date. Renowned swimmers like Caeleb Dressel from the United States, Adam Peaty from Britain, and Katinka Hosszu from Hungary have previously participated in ISL events.
The recent announcement solidifies the plans shared by ISL Commissioner Ben Allen last year. He expressed the league’s intentions to recommence operations in the autumn of 2026 with a revamped commercial strategy focusing more on sponsorships and media partnerships rather than sole investors.
Initially launched in 2019 to provide a professional competition outside the Olympic cycle, the ISL held its last season in 2021 before facing interruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of Russia’s conflict in Ukraine on its primary supporter, Ukrainian businessman Konstantin Grigorishin.
In December, Allen outlined a vision for a comeback season with seven matches spanning North America and Europe, potentially expanding to Asia and the Middle East. The league also considered transitioning to a one-day competition format following previous two-day events.
In a positive move, the ISL announced in July its commitment to settling overdue prize money for approximately 300 athletes from the 2021 season.
The upcoming London event is expected to serve as a trial run for the league’s condensed approach before a broader resurgence. Allen emphasized the significance of the All-Star Match, describing it as a pivotal moment for the swimming community to witness the return of elite athletes to the ISL platform.
London, renowned for its vibrant sports culture and the state-of-the-art Aquatics Centre constructed for the 2012 Olympics, was identified as the ideal host city for this prestigious event.
Further details regarding the participating swimmers, match format, ticketing information, and broadcast arrangements will be communicated by the ISL in due course.