Abstract: Lighting systems and apparatus for a swimming pool, having a sidewall sized and shaped to define a perimeter of the swimming pool, a liner for covering the sidewall and a bottom of the swimming pool so as to create a watertight cavity for receiving water, the liner including a light-transmitting portion, and a backlighting apparatus for mounting to a generally continuous surface of the sidewall between the liner and the sidewall and configured to transmit light through the light-transmitting portion of the liner to illuminate the swimming pool. In some embodiments, the backlighting apparatus includes a housing configured for mounting on the surface of the sidewall between the liner and the sidewall, the housing having a light-transmitting front cover configured to align with the light-transmitting portion of the liner, and at least one light source sized and shaped to fit within the housing for emitting light through the front cover to illuminate the pool.