USA Swimming Confirms APA Funding Enhance For 2026

After USA Swimming CEO Kevin Ring broke the information final month on the SwimSwam Podcast that the group would improve its monetary assist for skilled National Team athletes, the nationwide governing physique made it official in a press release on Thursday.

USA Swimming introduced that the elevated funding would take impact instantly for U.S. National Team professionals enrolled within the Athlete Performance Funding (APF) program who’ve agreed to the Athlete Partnership Agreement (APA).

As reported in December, swimmers who’re a part of the APA will see their annual assist improve from $39,000 to $45,000 ($3,750 monthly), a rise of simply over 15%.

Additionally, skilled athletes who don’t signal the APA settlement will earn $27,000 yearly, whereas NCAA and potential NCAA athletes will earn $21,000.

2025-26 Athlete Performance Funding Amounts

• Qualified skilled athletes who signal APA – $45,000 yearly ($3,750 month-to-month)
• Qualified skilled athletes who don’t signal APA – $27,000 yearly ($2,250 month-to-month)
• Qualified NCAA Athletes – $21,000 yearly ($1,750 month-to-month)
• Qualified pre-enrollment NCAA eligible athletes – $21,000 yearly ($1,750 month-to-month)

The elevated funds started in January, and the present funding interval runs by way of August 31, 2026.

This marks the primary improve in skilled athlete assist for the reason that inception of the APA in 2010. USA Swimming has additionally elevated the variety of athletes receiving APF to 30 per gender, up from 26 males and 26 ladies in 2021.

The prime 60 pool swimming athletes (30 males and 30 ladies) will obtain Athlete Performance Funding primarily based on the next standards:

1. Qualified for the 2025-26 U.S. National Team and ranked #1 of their respective particular person Olympic occasion(s)
2. Qualified for the 2025-26 U.S. National group and ranked #2, 3 or 4 within the 100 and 200 free
3. If all athletes listed above have certified for funding and fewer than 30 athletes per gender meet the necessities, all remaining members of the National Team who’re ranked #2 of their respective occasion will probably be ranked primarily based on their quickest share of the World Aquatics ‘A’ customary of their occasion. The course of will proceed with these ranked #3, #4, #5 and #6 till 30 males and 30 ladies have certified for APF.

For open water athletes, the highest 4 (two males and two ladies) will obtain APF primarily based on the next standards:

1. Highest place finisher within the 10K on the 2025 World Championships
2. 2nd highest finisher within the 10K on the 2025 World Championships
3. If an athlete didn’t end the occasion as a consequence of harm, sickness, or security issues, they are going to be thought of a “finisher.”

Joey Tepper and Dylan Gravley have been the highest two American finishers within the males’s 10K final summer season at Worlds, whereas Mariah Denigan and Brinkleigh Hansen have been the highest two U.S. ladies.