World Aquatics, the global governing body for aquatic sports, has entered into a landmark multi-year partnership with Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group.
Under the agreement, Alibaba Cloud has become the exclusive global cloud services provider for World Aquatics through 2028—marking the first time a major international sports federation will fully migrate its core operations to the cloud.
This strategic collaboration represents a pivotal moment in the digital evolution of global sports administration. By leveraging Alibaba Cloud’s advanced cloud computing, data intelligence, and AI capabilities, World Aquatics will overhaul its digital infrastructure to achieve greater scalability, enhanced cybersecurity, and streamlined global operations.
Key systems—such as the General Management System (GMS), official websites, mobile applications for fans and athletes, and a new Customer Data Platform (CDP)—will be rebuilt on Alibaba Cloud’s technology stack. The goal: to deliver more personalised, efficient, and interactive digital experiences across the federation’s entire ecosystem.
Husain Al Musallam, President of World Aquatics, highlighted the significance of the move and said, “This is a significant step forward for World Aquatics. Alibaba Cloud brings not only global cloud coverage and proven technical expertise, but also a great understanding of the demands of international sport on digital platforms. This partnership will allow us to scale our operations, improve our platforms’ stability, enhance data security and serve our community more effectively.”
Selina Yuan, President of International Business at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, expressed her excitement about the collaboration and said, “We are thrilled to reach this significant milestone in collaboration with World Aquatics. Alibaba Cloud is dedicated to driving the digital transformation of global sports through our leading AI and cloud computing technologies. This exclusive partnership not only showcases our long-standing commitment to sports innovation but also creates new opportunities to elevate the aquatic sports experience for athletes, organisations, and fans worldwide.”
Alibaba Cloud brings deep experience in major sporting events, having served as the official cloud services provider for the Olympic Games. With infrastructure spanning 29 regions and 87 availability zones worldwide, the company is well-equipped to support the federation’s expanding digital ambitions.
The integration of Alibaba Cloud’s technology will be visible across all World Aquatics Championships and World Cup events during the agreement’s term. Stakeholders can expect next-generation digital services—from real-time performance analytics and dynamic fan engagement platforms to more efficient competition management tools.
This initiative aligns with World Aquatics’ broader mission of building a “world united by water” and demonstrates how cutting-edge cloud infrastructure can help elevate the impact and reach of sport on a global scale.
Founded in 1908, World Aquatics is the international governing body for six aquatic sports: swimming, water polo, diving, high diving, artistic swimming, and open water swimming. It is an independent organisation composed of 210 National Federations and five Continental Organisations.
Established in 2009, Alibaba Cloud is a leading global provider of cloud computing and AI services. It offers a full suite of cloud technologies, including elastic computing, data analytics, security, and large-scale AI solutions. Alibaba Cloud has been the top IaaS provider in Asia Pacific by revenue since 2018 (Gartner) and remains one of the world’s leading public cloud service providers (IDC).
