Multi-Olympic champion Michael Phelps will make his appearance at this year's swimming world championships in Shanghai.

The USA Swimming Thursday announced a star-studded 42-member team which includes 25 Olympians.

Phelps is expected to compete in the 200m freestyle, the 100m and 200m butterfly and the 200m individual medley.

Ryan Lochte, the second star attraction in the team, will swim the 200m free, 200m backstroke and the 200m and 400m individual medleys.

The women's team will see Natalie Coughlin, the first American female athlete to win six medals in one Olympics when she made her second Olympic appearance at Beijing in 2008.

The swimmers qualified for the championships based on their results from the 2010 US championships and 2010 Pan Pacific Championships.

The 2011 World Championships will be the last major international meeting prior to the 2012 Olympic Games in London.