Both the 2019 and 2012 World Championships look set to be staged in Asia, with China, Japan and Korea the nations that have expressed an interesting in hosting the FINA long-course showcase event of five Olympic disciplines.

A FINA statement noted: 

The next steps concerning these bids are:

• January 16, 2013: Meeting to take place between FINA and interested National Federations/Cities in Lausanne. FINA will provide the interested NF’s and Cities with general information, background and details of the FINA World Championships and the Bid Process.
• April 4, 2013: NF’s/Cities to submit their Formal Bid to FINA.
• July 19, 2013: Presentation of Bid by each NF/City to the FINA Bureau at a meeting to be held during the 15th FINA World Championships in Barcelona (ESP); followed by the FINA Bureau voting and awarding the 18th FINA World Championships 2019, and eventually the 19th edition in 2021.

Along the way to 2019 and beyond, Barcelona in Spain will host the championships from July 19 to August 4 next year, Kazan in Russia is scheduled to host the meet in 2015 and Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2017.