Making Waves: Delivering the World Aquatics Championships in 7 Months

Delivering a world-class international sporting event at unprecedented speed for Sports SG.

Impact at a Glance

6

GovTech products working together seamlessly

7 Months

Total Time for global deployment

520,000+

Secure check-ins managed across 4 venues over 24 days.

<60 Seconds

Average time for 3,000 volunteers to collect their official gear and ID kits.

The Challenge

A High-Stakes Pivot on a Tight Timeline

Widely regarded as the second most prestigious event in aquatic sports, trailing only the Olympic Games in glory - it was the first time a Southeast Asian country was ever given the honour of hosting The World Aquatics Championships (WAC). When the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended relocating the WAC to Singapore, the Singapore Organising Committee (SportSG) inherited an immense challenge - delivering a world-class sporting event at unprecedented speed. Deploying a digital infrastructure for an event of such scale traditionally takes years to plan - GovTech had just seven months to deliver.

For the Organisers

Massive Scale & Logistics: The event brought together 2,500 elite athletes, 6,000 master athletes, and 1,800 officials from 203 countries. Distributing S$185,000 in allowances and 30,000 sets of uniform items to 3,000 volunteers required strict accountability to optimize the S$100 million budget and eliminate waste.

For the Venues

Security & Complexity: Managing over 140,000 spectators alongside VIPs and athletes required highly nuanced access control. All venues needed to instantly validate and separate access zones for athletes, media, and officials.

The Solution

Seamless Integration & Rapid Deployment

To meet the tight deadline without compromising security, SportSG turned to GovTech’s proven, "plug-and-play" product stack. Built on the same infrastructure used for the Singapore General Election, the system easily handled high-security international data.

The Access Engine

GovEntry served as the backbone for venue security. It integrated directly with the World Aquatics Games Management System (GMS), enabling real-time syncing of access rights. On the ground, crew used the GovEntry web app to instantly validate credentials, ensuring athletes, officials, and media could access their designated zones safely and seamlessly across 4 different venues.

The Logistics Hub

Instead of manual queues, GovSupply and GovWallet automated volunteer management. 3,000 volunteers collected their gear via simple QR scans, while the precise disbursement of S$185,000 in allowances were securely managed.

The Fan Experience

To manage community fan zones for over 140,000 spectators without heavily relying on physical manpower, GovRewards was deployed, allowing attendees participating in fringe activities to collect prizes independently via automated vending machines across all four venues.

The Results

A First for Southeast Asia, A Benchmark for the World

By relying on GovTech's unified WOG infrastructure, SportSG and GovTech executed a flawless technological deployment in just seven months, setting a new global benchmark for how technology can streamline massive sporting spectacles. The 22nd World Aquatics Championships saw more than 500,000 Singaporeans participate in championship-related activities. The secure, automated backend eliminated operational friction, allowing the Organising Committee to focus on delivering an unforgettable global experience.

“Singapore has proven time and again to be an outstanding host for World Aquatics events... From the professionalism of the organisers to the passion of the fans and the seamless operations, Singapore delivered a world-class experience for athletes, teams, and spectators alike.”