Los Angeles to host 2026 Pan Pacific swimming championships ahead of 2028 Summer Olympics

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The 2026 Pan Pacific Championships will be moved from Canada to Los Angeles, giving the city a chance to host a major international swimming meet ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics.

The agreement between the charter nations of Australia, Canada, Japan and the U.S. was announced Tuesday. The Pan Pacs are held every four years, rotating between the four countries.

Canada had been set to host in 2022, but the meet was postponed to 2026 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will look to host a future edition, having previously hosted in 2006 at Victoria, British Columbia.

“The Pan Pacific Championships are always important for our team, and are going to be even more so given the uncertainty around the 2026 Commonwealth Games,” Swimming Canada High Performance Director John Atkinson said in a statement.

The Commonwealth Games are currently without a host nation after Australia withdrew, citing cost overruns.

The venue and dates for the Pan Pacs will be announced later.