ESPN is diving into a new sport. The network has announced a multi-year media rights agreement with the new College Swimming League, making ESPN the exclusive home of the fledgling competition in the United States and Canada as The Walt Disney Company continues expanding its live sports portfolio.
The Details Of The Deal
Under the agreement, all six regular-season matches will stream live on ESPN+ each season, while the league’s Wild Card and Championship events will air on ESPNU. Every event will also be available through the ESPN App. The inaugural 2026 season features 12 NCAA programs competing in a four-team match format, building toward the postseason at the end of the fall schedule.
A Powerhouse Lineup
The 12 teams competing in the first season include Virginia, Indiana, Tennessee, Cal, Stanford, Michigan, NC State, Louisville, Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, and Auburn. The regular season kicks off September 24 on ESPN+, with additional matches running through October. The Wild Card is set for November 5 and the Championship for November 6, both on ESPNU.
Growing Disney’s Sports Reach
League leadership called the agreement a monumental milestone for its inaugural season, while ESPN framed college swimming as a strong addition to its collegiate sports lineup. Because The Walt Disney Company owns a controlling stake in ESPN, the deal is another building block in Disney’s expanding live sports strategy across ESPN, ESPN+, ESPNU, and the ESPN App. For more on the company’s sports efforts, read our coverage of the 2026 ESPN Sports Humanitarian Awards. Additional detail is available at SwimSwam.
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