RFEN — Real Federación Española de Natación

What is the RFEN?

The Real Federación Española de Natación (RFEN), the Royal Spanish Swimming Federation, is the national body for the aquatic sports in Spain; its statutes also use the name RFEN Aquatics.^[4] It describes itself as “la entidad encargada de organizar los deportes acuáticos en España” — the body charged with organising the aquatic sports in Spain — bringing together the autonomous-community federations, clubs, athletes, judges, technical delegates and coaches.^[2] Article 1 of its statutes defines it as a private, non-profit association declared to be of public utility.^[4]

What does the RFEN govern or do?

The statutes list seven specialities under the federation: swimming, water polo, artistic swimming, diving, high diving, open water and masters.^[4] Article 7 gives it the organisation or supervision of official international competitions held in Spain, the promotion and organisation of official competitions at state level, the representation of Spain in World Aquatics and European Aquatics, and the drafting of federation regulations, which are then ratified by the Consejo Superior de Deportes. The same article covers the selection of national teams, the issue of licences and disciplinary authority.^[4]

When was the RFEN founded and where is it based?

Article 1 of the RFEN’s statutes states that the federation was founded on 19 April 1920.^[4] The current text was approved by an extraordinary General Assembly on 7 October 2023, ratified by the board of the Consejo Superior de Deportes on 10 April 2024 and published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado on 16 May 2024.^[3] Article 6 places the federation’s seat in Madrid, at calle Juan Esplandiu 1.^[4]

How is the RFEN recognised?

European Aquatics. European Aquatics’ directory of member federations lists Spain’s member as the Royal Spanish Swimming Federation.^[1]

World Aquatics. Article 4 of the RFEN’s statutes states that the federation “es miembro de pleno derecho de WAQ y EAQ” — a full member of World Aquatics and European Aquatics — and that it accepts and undertakes to comply with their statutes and regulations.^[4]

What does the RFEN organise?

The RFEN’s site carries the Campeonatos de España — the Spanish championships — at absolute, junior and infantil levels across its disciplines, and it lists an open-water Copa de Europa among its events.^[2] Under Article 7 of its statutes, the official competitions of state or supra-regional scope fall to the federation, which also organises or supervises official international competitions held on Spanish territory.^[4]

Who are its members?

The statutes name the autonomous-community federations, sports clubs, athletes, coaches, judges and referees among those integrated in the RFEN.^[4] The federation’s directory lists 19 regional federations (as listed in October 2026): Andalusia, Aragon, Asturias, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, Catalonia, Ceuta, Extremadura, Galicia, Madrid, Melilla, Murcia, Navarre, La Rioja, the Valencian Community and the Basque Country.^[5]