The
United States will likely return their
World Record and
defending Olympic team. The team will likely be made up of
Regan Smith, who holds the 100 metre backstroke world record;
Gretchen Walsh, who holds the 100 metre butterfly world record; either
Lilly King, or
Kate Douglass on breaststroke; and
Torri Huske. Projections suggest a time near 3:47.74, which would break their 3:49.63 record. Australia, silver medallists at the 2024 Olympics, will likely feature
Kaylee McKeown,
Sienna Toohey, and
Mollie O’Callaghan, while China, led by
Tang Qianting and
Zhang Yufei, will challenge them for silver.
Canada, Japan, France, the Netherlands,
Germany, and
Great Britain are expected to target finals rather than medals. ==Qualification==