This is a listing of the history of the world record for the 50 metres backstroke swimming event. Swimming world records are maintained by World Aquatics, the international sports federation which oversees the sport. World records are recognized only in long course (50m) and short course (25m). Like the 50 m breaststroke, 50 m butterfly, and the 50 m backstroke, world record status and monitoring for this event first began in the 1990s.