The competition shall be held in accordance with the General Rules of the Games and those of the International Swimming Federation.
- Each team will consist of a minimum of 4 swimmers, plus one optional reserve one of whom will act as captain.
- Each team may be represented in each race by one swimmer only, and each swimmer may participate in two individual races maximum, plus the relays.
- The host organization shall be responsible for providing the official judges and timekeepers. These must be members of the official swimming federation of the host country.
- The races included in the programme are as follows: Fixed events
- 50 metres back stroke
- 100 metres breast stroke
- 50 metres butterfly
- 100 metres free style
- 400 metres free style
- 4 x 50 metres medley relay (in the following order: backstroke, breast stroke, butterfly and free style)
- 4 x 50 metres freestyle relay
- One additional event to be decided by the host organization, either:
- 50 metres free style, or
- 100 metres individual medley (in the following order: butterfly, backstroke, breast stroke, and free style).
- Preliminary heats in the case of more entrants than lanes:
- The preliminary encounter for each race shall consist of two heats, each with the same or nearly the same number of entrants. The composition of heats and lanes for each heat shall be determined by a draw. If there are at least as many lanes as teams, there will be no preliminary heats.
- In the case of preliminary heats, the winner of each preliminary race, together with those who obtain the next (four) best times, shall qualify for the finals.
- The points awarded to each team at the end of each final individual race will be as follows in the case of nine teams:
- First place – 10 points
- Second place – 8 points
- Third place – 7 points
- Fourth place – 6 points
- Fifth place – 5 points
- Sixth place – 4 points
- Seventh place – 3 points
- Eighth place – 2 points
- Ninth place – 1 point
- Non-participation or disqualification – no points
- The points awarded to each team at the end of each final relay will be double those awarded for individual races, as follows in the case of nine teams:
- First place – 20 points
- Second place – 16 points
- Third place – 14 points
- Fourth place – 12 points
- Fifth place – 10 points
- Sixth place – 8 points
- Seventh place – 6 points
- Eighth place – 4 points
- Ninth place – 2 point
- Non-participation or disqualification – no points
- The team obtaining the highest number of points shall win the competition. If two or more teams have the same number of points, they will be classified on the basis of the best placing achieved in the final.
- The composition of the heats and the allotment of lanes will be determined by a draw which will take place during a meeting of the team captains and the discipline coordinator as soon as the number of teams competing is confirmed.
- Not later than one hour before the start of the competitions, the captain of each team shall hand over to the judges the list of participants for each individual race and the composition of teams for the relay.