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Justin Ress set the pace in the 50 back ahead of Ole Braunschweig and 100 champion Thomas Ceccon on the penultimate day of prelims at the Duna Arena.
Ress went 24.24 with Braunschweig (24.58) and Ceccon (24.62) – who set a world record of 51.60 en-route to the 100 back title on Monday – next through.
Hunter Armstrong progressed safely in 24.63 as he looks to add the world title to the world record he set back in April.
It will be an entirely new podium in Budapest with 2019 champion Zane Waddell not competing.
Neither are silver and bronze medallists Evgeny Rylov and Kliment Kolesnikov as part of the Russian ban.
Why was Ress disqualified?