The official size of the pool used for the World Aquatics Championships (also known as the World Swimming Championships) depends on whether it is a long course or short course event:
- Long Course (50 meters) World Championships pool :
- Length: Exactly 50 meters (164 ft 1 in) between touch pads
- Width: 25 meters (82 ft) for permanent pools (26 meters for temporary pools)
- Depth: Minimum 2 meters (6 ft 7 in), recommended 3 meters (9 ft 10 in) for multi-discipline use
- Number of lanes: 10 lanes, each 2.5 meters wide
- Water temperature: 25–28 °C (77–82 °F)
- Volume: Approximately 2,500 cubic meters (660,000 US gallons) assuming 2 m depth
This is the same size as an Olympic swimming pool and is used for the Olympic Games and long course World Championships
- Short Course (25 meters) World Championships pool :
- Length: Exactly 25 meters between touch pads
- Width: Minimum 25 meters for permanent pools (26 meters for temporary pools)
- Depth: Minimum 2 meters (2.5 m preferred)
- Number of lanes: Typically 8 or more lanes
This pool is half the length of the long course pool and is used for short course World Championships
In summary, the World Aquatics World Championships use either a 50-meter pool (long course) or a 25-meter pool (short course), with strict specifications on length, width, depth, lane count, and water conditions to meet international competition standards. The long course pool is 50 m x 25 m, minimum 2 m deep, with 10 lanes, while the short course pool is 25 m long, at least 25 m wide, and minimum 2 m deep.
