The 2026 edition of Amsterdam City Swim is scheduled for Sunday, September 6, and is all about swimming through the canals to raise money for ALS research. Since 2012, it has become a staple of the late-summer calendar, featuring a mix of sports, fundraising, and spectators lining the banks.
The core of the event remains the same: a marked route through the central waterways, including sections along well-known canals and the area around the Marineterrein. Normally, sightseeing boats and rowboats navigate those waters, but during the event, parts of the route are taken over by a continuous procession of swimmers wearing swim caps and goggles. It gives the city a completely different look for a single day.
Participants register in advance as individuals or as teams. Company teams, groups of friends, and families can be sponsored per participant or per distance swum. All of these contributions are channeled through partnering ALS-related funds and research organizations to support scientific research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The athletic challenge is therefore directly linked to a specific goal: greater visibility and more resources for a serious neurological disease.
Participants must register in advance, either as individuals or as teams.
Quote: One day a year, the canals are no longer a waterway for boats, but a long course for swimmers.
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