The two artistic synchronized swimming events at the Olympic Games are the team and the duet.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded 104 places for artistic synchronized swimming for Tokyo. FINA, the sport’s governing body, then regulates how each of these spot is allocated. For Paris, the quota will be reduced to 96.
Athletes younger than 15 years of age are not permitted to compete in the events (FINA Rule AS3). As of 2021, men are still not allowed to compete at the Olympic Games.
Tokyo 2020 Qualification Rules
The 10 qualified teams are: Australia, Canada, China, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Japan, Russian Olympic Committee, Spain, Ukraine.
The 22 qualified duets are: Australia, Austria, Belarus, Canada, China, Colombia, Egypt, France, Great Britain, Greece, Kazakhstan, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Mexico, the Netherlands, Russian Olympic Committee, South Africa, Spain, Ukraine, the U.S.A.
Team Qualification: 10
Each team will consist of eight swimmers only, no reserves.
- Continental Championships/Host Country (5)
The best five teams from each continent will obtain a spot in the team competition, including the host country. For example for the 2020 Olympic Games, Japan is automatically qualified and is the representative of the Asian continent.
For Europe, the qualifying team is determined during the European Cup of the year before the Games. For the Americas, the team is determined at the Pan American Games of the previous year as well.
There are not enough teams in Asia, Oceania and Africa for them to hold a regular continental championship. Therefore, their continental spot is determined by their results at the World Championships from the previous year.
At the 2019 FINA World Championships, only Oceania and Africa will have their continental spots determined, as Asia’s quota is already taken up by Japan.
- FINA World Championships (2)
The first two teams from the world championships not previously qualified through the continental quota will earn a spot, based on the combined results of the free and technical routines.
Should one or both of the teams already be qualified through the continental spot, then we move to the next one or two highest placed.
- Olympic Games Qualification Tournament (3)
The three best ranked teams at the test event will obtain the last spots for the Games. The qualification tournament is usually held a few months before the start of the Olympics.
Duet Qualification: 22
- Team Qualification (10)
Each country that has qualified a team also automatically qualifies its duet, including the host country.
- Continental Championships (5)
The best ranked duets in each of the five continental championships will obtain a quota place except for the Host Country NOC which will be the representative of the Asian Continent. Should the highest ranked duet already be qualified through the team, the next highest ranked duet from the Continental qualifying event will obtain a quota.
- Olympic Games Qualification Tournament (7)
The remaining open positions will be allocated according to the rankings of the Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament to the highest placed NOCs not yet qualified.
Once qualified, each federation will need to confirm their quota. Should a nation not enter despite being qualified, the spot will be reallocated by FINA to the next best ranked duet or team not yet qualified from the OG Qualification Tournament. It is the same if the host country were to not use their automatic quota.
The full qualification system is available here. NOCs will have to confirm the use of allocated quota places to FINA by June 20, 2021. All entries must be final and sent to Tokyo 2020 by July 5, 2021.
Tokyo 2020 Qualification Timeline
- May 10 – 12, 2019 – European Cup (St Petersburg, Russia)
- July 12 – 20, 2019 – FINA World Championships (Gwangju, South Korea)
- July 29 – 31, 2019 – Pan American Games (Lima, Peru)
- June 10 – 13, 2021 – Qualification Tournament (Barcelona, Spain)
- July 23 – August 8, 2021 – Olympic Games (Tokyo, Japan)
Qualified nations to the 2020 Olympics:
Teams (10)
| Event | Quota | Qualified Nation |
| Host Nation | 1 | Japan |
| 2019 European Cup | 1 | Russia (ROC) |
| Oceania Continental Championships (at 2019 WC) | 1 | Australia |
| Africa Continental Championships (at 2019 WC) | 1 | Egypt |
| 2019 FINA World Championships | 2 | China Ukraine |
| 2019 Pan American Games | 1 | Canada |
| 2021 Olympics Qualification Tournament | 3 | Italy Spain Greece |
Duets (22)
| Event | Quota | Qualified Nation |
| Through the teams | 10 | Australia Canada China Egypt Greece Italy Japan Russia (ROC) Spain Ukraine |
| 2019 European Cup | ||
| Oceania Continental Championships (at 2019 WC) | ||
| Africa Continental Championships (at 2019 WC) | 1 | South Africa |
| Asia Continental Championships (at 2019 WC) | 1 | Kazakhstan |
| 2019 Pan American Games | 1 | Mexico |
| 2021 Olympics Qualification Tournament | 9 | Austria Belarus Colombia France Great Britain Israel Liechtenstein the Netherlands U.S.A |
Russia will compete under the name “Russian Olympic Committee” (ROC).
*New Zealand did not take its quota.