Today’s Stars, Tomorrow’s Leaders

Universiade

Universiade

The Universiade’s roots go back to the start of the 20th century as host cities welcomed student-athletes who celebrate the spirit of friendship and sportsmanship in a competitive environment. Today, the Universiade has been renamed the World University Games and continues to build on this long tradition as the premiere university multi-sport competition in the world.

Summer World University Games

The Summer World University Games takes place over 12 days and consists of 15 compulsory sports. It is scheduled to take place every two years.

To keep both the event programme at the forefront of sport innovation and embrace the host country's sporting legacy, organisers can add up to three optional sports to their edition of the World University Games. 

The 2021 event in Chengdu in China was been delayed until 2023 due to COVID-19 and eventually went ahead between July 28 and August 8.

Rhine-Ruhr in Germany will host the next Games in 2025.

Two more editions have also been awarded - to Chungcheong in South Korea in 2027 and North Carolina in the United States in 2029.

Winter World University Games

The Winter World University Games incorporates education and cultural aspects into an 11-day competition sport programme. The flagship event includes eight compulsory sports and up to three optional sports chosen by the host country. 

The latest edition took place in two-time Winter Olympic host Lake Placid in the United States in January 2023. 

Turin in Italy is the next scheduled host in 2025. 

The host of the Winter Universiade in 2021 was due to be Lucerne in Switzerland, but the event was cancelled due to COVID-19.

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Chengdu 2021 dazzles two years later than planned

The 2021 Summer World University Games in Chinese city Chengdu were eventually staged in 2023, two years later than planned due to postponements caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Games featured more than 6,500 athletes from 113 countries, with hosts China ending top of the medal table, winning more than 100 golds.

Eighteen sports were contested and Chinese President Xi Jinping opened the Games.

International University Sports Federation Acting President Leonz Eder said he believed the Games had demonstrated Chengdu's position as "a prominent sporting city".

"The venues used will deliver tangible social benefits, demonstrating Chengdu’s position as a prominent sporting city - one that is capable of planning and hosting major international sporting events, including, hopefully, the Olympic Games in the future," said Eder.

"FISU is proud of the long-term relationships we have with our host cities, extending long after the Closing Ceremony.

"In Chengdu a museum is already in place celebrating our shared successes, while a partnership with the Chengdu Sport University will see its students become a special part of our community."

Japan finished second on the medal table, winning 21 golds.

"The success of the event was only possible due to the dedication, passion, patience and resilience of all involved," said Eder.

"I must express my sincere gratitude, both personally and on behalf of FISU, to the Chengdu 2021 Organising Committee, the Federation of University Sports of China, the Government of the People's Republic of China, Sichuan province, and the city and the people of Chengdu for their unwavering support.

"The Games were not only a world-class sporting event in terms of performance, but also an opportunity for youth to come together to brighten and inspire our world."

Chengdu was the third Chinese mainland city to host the FISU Summer World University Games, following on from Beijing in 2001 and Shenzhen in 2011.

Cutting-edge technology was used in Chengdu, including robot cooks which delivered food to athletes.

The city is known as the home of the panda in China with many visitors using the Games to become acquainted with the animals.

A total of 13 new venues were constructed for the Games, while 36 were renovated as part of the city's preparations. 

Among those is the Dong'an Lake Sports Park, located in the Longquanyi District, which was the centrepiece for the Games and hosted the Opening Ceremony which had youth as a theme.

The complex is spread out over 678 acres and consists of one main sports stadium with a capacity of 40,000 and four other multi-functional venues with around 18,000 spectator seats each.

The Closing Ceremony was held at the Chengdu Open Air Music Park.  

"Chengdu has truly made all dreams come true," Eder told the crowd.

"From the very beginning of our journey in China, we have been embraced with warmth and hospitality that words cannot fully express.

"Today as we gather, we share a bittersweet moment, on the one hand over the last 12 days, we have witnessed the best Games ever, on the other, we must now bid a heartfelt farewell to the wonderful city of Chengdu."

Chengdu is also the host of the 2025 World Games.

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Lake Placid 2023 Winter World University Games

Eighty-five medal events were held at the 2023 Winter World University Games in Lake Placid in New York, a two-time host of the Winter Olympics.

Japan topped the medal table after winning 48 - 21 golds, 17 silvers and 10 bronze.

South Korea finished second while hosts United States enjoyed their best-ever Games after not picking up a single medal in 2019.

A moose named Adriondack Mack was named as the mascot of the event.

"There can be no doubt, Lake Placid is the place of legends for winter sports," said FISU's Acting President Leonz Eder.  

"We knew this was and is a very special place. 

"And we had the privilege to be part of it."

The 11-day event was only the second time the Games had been held outside of Europe or Asia.

In all, 1,443 athletes from 46 countries took part.

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Naples 2019 welcomed the world to the Summer Universiade’s 60th birthday

Sitting just south of Rome, Naples was primed to combine the dynamism of university sport with the region's culture and history. It was particularly fitting that an Italian city should host the 30th edition of the event as the Summer Universiade was first held in Turin in 1959.

The city's historic centre, Centro Storico, and natural splendors, like the nearby Amalfi Coast, played an ideal supporting role to university student-athletes in action. 

Sports are a way of life in Italy’s third-largest city. Walking along the famously narrow streets of Naples, football is played everywhere as passionate fans crowd around café televisions whenever Diego Maradona’s old club Napoli play in Serie A.

From the hub of the city to the whole of the region, there were plenty of options for people to either participate or watch from the sidelines as a fan.

The Summer Universiade 2019 hosts ran an efficient operation - one that leaves refurbished sports venues throughout the Campania region for people to enjoy for years. With the passion of sports pulsing through the city, Naples 2019 gave further inspiration to add sports to people’s daily lives, particularly on the university campus.

Even once the Universiade flame was extinguished, the Games have left a bright legacy.

Japan topped the medal table with 33 golds, 21 silver and 28 bronze.

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The Krasnoyarsk Winter Universiade 2019

Krasnoyarsk 2019 was held under the slogan "welcome to real winter" and there is meaning behind the motto. Situated in the heart of Siberia, the place has deep sporting roots.

As the capital of the Krasnoyarsk territory in Russia, the city was ideally suited to cement its position as a top-level winter sports venue. Nineteen athletes from the region have won gold medals at the Olympic Games, with three others becoming Paralympic champions.

Fitting the International University Sports Federation motto of "today’s stars, tomorrow’s leaders", Krasnoyarsk is not only one of the more sporting cities in the world. It is also an academic hub with more than 120,000 university students. All told, the city is home to nine institutions of higher education, including the State Federal University of Siberia.

Krasnoyarsk sits next to the Stolby Nature Sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the Eastern Sayan Mountains. The rugged, rocky landscape covered in a deep blanket of snow is an ideal canvas for winter sports competitors.

Krasnoyarsk was not new to the game of staging winter sports competitions and is a regular host to national competitions in Alpine skiing, bandy, biathlon, snowboarding and freestyle skiing. Organisers were particularly enthused that bandy, known as "Russian hockey" in the host country, was part of the Winter Universiade for the first time in 2019.

As the 2019 host, Krasnoyarsk gained its first experience in organising an international multi-sport event at the 29th Winter Universiade. Krasnoyarsk 2019 organisers had the full backing of the Russian Federation, which brought a wealth of experience having already hosted the 1973 Summer Universiade, 1980 Summer Olympics, Summer Universiade 2013 and 2014 Winter Olympics.

The city along the Yenisei River began its bid to host the 2019 Winter Universiade when FISU attributed the event to Krasnoyarsk on November 9 in 2013. Since then, Krasnoyarsk 2019 organisers have been preparing to host the world's premier sports and educational event. 

Legacy benefits are already being felt with curling's World Junior Championships awarded to the city.

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Taipei scores big with Summer Universiade 2017

Preparations for Taipei’s coming-out party as host to high-profile, world-class events were years in the making. Taipei organisers and city planners saw the Universiade as much more than an international sporting event.

When athletes from around the world walked into Taipei Stadium for the Opening Ceremony of the Universiade, the stage was set for this to be a city-transforming social movement. Since winning the right to host the event to after the Universiade flame was extinguished to mark the end of the Summer Universiade 2017, Taipei’s commitment to urban revitalisation and public participation has only grown. Taipei shined bright on the world stage.

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The Universiade Through the Years

University sports deserve the crowning of an international champion every year

Having the Summer and Winter World University Games every other year was not enough for university sport competitors and fans. 

With this in mind, the International University Sports Federation (FISU) launched the World University Championships in 1963 with Handball in Lund, Sweden. Today the Championships season takes place in the even numbered years, filling the gap in the university sports calendar between two World University Games seasons.

The World University Championships give cities - and often universities - the chance to host a major international sport event with minimum cost and complexity. In 2022, 12 stand-alone World University Championship events made for a calendar overflowing with quality competitions.

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2024 World University Championships

In 2024, World University Championships are currently planned in the following sports:

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2022 World University Championships

FISU opened the bidding for the 2022 World University Championships in November 2018.

The following sports were confirmed for the programme, and included a rowing event for 2023 in London in Ontario, Canada.

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2020 World University Championships

The 2020 season was due to host 29 World University Championships for student athletes but unfortunately almost the entire calendar was cancelled due to COVID-19.

The geographical spread of the Championships included events in the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia, but the speed skating in Amsterdam was the only physical sport to go ahead before the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Even then, the last day of competition in the Dutch capital was called off.

The inaugural World University Mind Sports Championship, planned for Bydgoszcz in Poland, did go ahead but took place entirely online in October.

On the 2020 calendar, FISU had been due to welcome three new National University Sports Federations to the hosting family - Argentina for rugby sevens, Morocco for cross-country and Ukraine for waterski and wakeboard.

While Waterski Championships have been held before, 2020 was due to be the first edition with wakeboard as part of the programme. 

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The World University Championships, FISU’s Sport Innovation Lab

From table tennis to taekwondo, the World University Championships are the gateway for new sports and formats to make their way into the World University Games. This allows FISU to experiment with International Federations to enhance sports delivery and innovation.

FISU’s partnership with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) to develop and promote a new discipline such as 3x3 basketball is one example. 

Since collaborating with FIBA to make basketball a more versatile sport, the 3x3 format is now the undisputed game of choice on courts all over the globe and is the number one urban team sport in the world.

Mixed-team archery, a competition format first tested and developed at FISU’s World University Championships in 2006, joined 3x3 basketball for its Olympic Games debut during Tokyo 2020.

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We Want to Hear From You!

The FISU World University Championships team wants to hear from you. Try us on one of these channels:

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: FISU World University Championships

Web: fisu.net/World University Championships

“Recognising future trends in sports, the University World Cups are one way through which FISU keeps innovating. Bringing university sport to more school campuses enhances the student experience. The newest member of FISU events combine the best of games, entertainment and culture.”

University World Cups

The University World Cups complement other International University Sports Federation (FISU) events like the World University Games and the World University Championships. These events are played out in a university-versus-university format and their mission is to help bring student-athletes into the fold who might not otherwise step onto the international university sports scene.

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2022 University World Cups

In 2022, University World Cups were held around the world in four different sports.

These were 3x3 basketball, finnswimming, handball and combat sports.

A football event is planned for 2023 in China.

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A Sports Innovation Partnership

There is perhaps no better legacy than giving young people a chance to take part in sports among an international community.

Through the University World Cups, FISU’s aim is to increase sports participation at universities and help student-athletes have university sports experiences that last a lifetime.

As the home of university sports, FISU employees’ day-to-day lives revolve around collaborating with global partners to keep innovating for the future of sports.

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3x3 Basketball: The roots of the University World Cup

With all the sports options out there, why did FISU decide to start the University World Cup concept back in 2015 with 3x3 Basketball? That’s easy: 3x3 basketball is where culture, sport and innovation collide. Already, 3x3 Basketball is the most popular urban team sport in the world.

3x3 Basketball is a game pretty much everyone can play, anywhere in the world. With teams composed of three players, plus one possible substitute, it is easy to field a team. It is just players playing as no coaching is allowed during a competition.

The simplicity of the 3x3 game stands out: all you need is a hoop, a ball, some team-mates, and a little competition. 

There is not even a mandatory surface; a tournament can take place on concrete, asphalt or an existing/temporary court. Bringing sport into the centre of university campus life was the goal FISU set out to achieve with University World Cups. The format has delivered.

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University World Cup Football

Following the success of the University World Cup 3x3, FISU launched the University World Cup - Football in 2019.

FISU's newest sports property set the bar high with its inaugural edition held in Jinjiang, China from November 21 to December 1, 2019.

The tournament in Jinjiang paved the way for the future of university-versus-university competition in the world's most popular sport.

The event was in the works well before the world finals took place in Fujian Province. Sixteen of the best men's teams and eight women's teams had booked their ticket to China through five continental qualifying tournaments that were held through 2018.

There were also quotas allotted to Federation of University Sports of China for home teams, as well as two wildcard teams in both the men’s and women’s draw.

Final standings - Men's competition

1. University of the Republic (URU)
2. University of Wollongong (AUS)
3. Myongji University (KOR)

Final standings - Women's competition

1. University of Ottawa (CAN)
2. Paulista University (BRA)
3. College of Asian Scholars (THA)

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FISU World Cup Combat Sports 2022

The inaugural International University Sports Federation World Cup Combat Sports took place in Samsun in Turkey in September 2022.

Six sports were on the schedule - sambo, wushu, muaythai, wrestling, boxing and karate.

Ondokuz Mayıs University was home to the Athletes' Village, while competition was spread across four venues.

Boxing, karate and wushu were all held at the university, while muaythai athletes were welcomed at the Ilkadim Okculuk Sport Hall, one of the facilities affiliated with the Samsun Youth Services and Sports Provincial Directorate.

Wrestling and sambo took place in Mustafa Dagistanli Sport Hall.

Hosts Turkey enjoyed the event and finished top of the medal table.

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FISU World Cup Handball 2022

Kosovo hosted the first edition of FISU World Cup Handball in July 2022.

There were home winners of the men's event as the University of Pristina defeated Kangwon University from South Korea 33-30 in a tight final.

This was the first-ever global sporting event hosted in Kosovo.

In the women's competition, Korea National Sports University won the gold medal by defeating Spain's University Castilla/La Mancha 32-22.  

Fourteen teams took part - eight in the men's event and six in the women's.

Matches took place at the Palace of Youth and the 1 October Hall.

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3x3 Basketball - Finals in 2022

The 2022 edition  of the 3x3 basketball University World Cup was held in Istanbul in Turkey following the competition's move from Xiamen in China.

Brazil's defending champions Paulista University reclaimed the men's title while the women's crown went to Chinese Culture University of Chinese Taipei.

Paulista saw off Macquarie University of Australia in their final while Chinese Culture got the better of Monterrey ITES of Mexico.

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3x3 Basketball - Finals in 2019

During the tournament's fifth edition, defending women's champions Tsinghua University of China and first-time men's qualifiers Paulista University of Brazil returned to campus as the reigning university world champions of 3x3 Basketball after four days of high-intensity hoops.  

Since the inaugural edition, Huaqaio University in Xiamen has hosted this electrifying event on their home court. Huaqiao, therefore, automatically qualify for the finals. The rest of the teams have come through tough continental qualifying tournaments to earn their place in the finals. The 2019 finalists once again represented university teams from all continents.

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3x3 Basketball - Finals in 2018

The 2018 edition took place in Xiamen, China from November 15 to 18, when the tournament was still called the 3x3 FISU World University League.

Chinese teams won both the men's and women's competitions thanks to success for Huaqiao University and Tsinghua University respectively.

Huaqiao University beat McGill University of Canada 21-15 in the men’s final, while Tsinghua University defeated Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University of Ukraine 17-14 in the women’s.

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3x3 Basketball - Finals in 2017

After four days and seven games, two university 3x3 teams strode to centre court to accept the individual medals and team trophy bestowed upon the victors of the 3x3 FISU World University League finals. The two teams, though, took different paths to the title.

In Xiamen, the winning continued as the Chinese Culture University ran the table from preliminaries to finals. To take the title, the team defeated the University of Regina 21-12 in the final.

Mon-Altius Physical Education Institute, meanwhile, took a more circuitous route to the 2017 men’s title. The Mongolian team lost their first two games in the preliminary pool play before finding their groove in the knock-out rounds. Mon-Altius made an inspired run to the championship, defeating the University of Kragujevac of Serbia 21-17 in the finals.

The International Basketball Federation's then secretary general Patrick Baumann, who tragically died after suffering a heart attack in October 2018, claimed he was "very happy" with FISU’s work in developing the sport of basketball, particularly 3x3.

"It’s very cool," he said.

"We’ve been working on this for about 10 years.

"[FISU] brings together the best teams, with a very high level of competition.

"FISU was very fast to jump on the train to help organise 3x3 since basically the beginning.

"It’s the perfect game for university students.”

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3x3 Basketball - Finals in 2016

A total of 32 teams - 16 men and 16 women - from 23 countries competed for the medals. When the dust settled on the men’s side, McGill University beat France's University of Bordeaux. The Canadians defended their title, having also beaten the Frenchmen from Bordeaux in 2015.

In the women’s final, another Canadian team, the University of Regina, took the lead early, but Lithuanian Sports University stormed back. With an efficient offense, Lithuanian Sports University reached the top of the podium by winning 21-14.

The event also featured shoot-out and dunk contests, much to the delight of both the crowd and competitors.

The competition had an impressive reach. CCTV broadcast the games daily, while Eurosport also covered the event. Additionally, FISU TV live streamed all the games and contests to a global audience. 

Final standings - Men's competition

1. McGill University (CAN)
2. University of Bordeaux (FRA)
3. University of Kragujevac (SRB)

Final standings - Women's competition

1. Lithuanian Sports University (LTU)
2. University of Regina (CAN)
3. Chinese Culture University (TPE)

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3x3 Basketball showcases the University World Cup concept in 2015

What started as an idea to bring elite sport events onto the middle of a university campus became a reality when Huaqiao University in Xiamen, China hosted FISU’s first international 3x3 basketball tournament where student athletes competed for their universities instead of their national team.

Dubbed the "World University League" for the first three years, the event proved so successful that FISU grew the programme to include football and changed to the University World Cup in late 2017.

In the inaugural edition of the women’s final, the Chinese Culture University faced off against the Tianjin University of Finance and Economics. Led by China’s Wu Di, who has the distinction of being the first university player in the national team of China, the Chinese Culture University won 21-13.

The men's final, between the Université du Québec à Montréal of Canada and the University of Bordeaux of France, came down to the last play. The Canadian university came out on top with a 17-16 win.

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Want to know more about the FISU University World Cups? Contact us!

The University World Cup Department wants to hear from you! Feel free to pepper us with your questions and comments about the World Cups - and where we’re going with it!

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: FISU - International University Sport

Web: fisu.net

International University Beach Games

The International University Beach Games is an event that combines university sport and beach sports.

The Brazilian University Sports Confederation (CBDU) started the process to organise the event in 2015, four years after staging the inaugural Brazilian University Beach Games. 

Competition sees teams representing their universities from around the world. 

The age bracket for participation is the same as in any other International University Sports Federation (FISU) event - 17 to 28-years-old. 

Inaugural edition in 2015

Brazilian city Aracaju hosted the first edition of the International University Beach Games in 2015.

The Brazilian champions of the National Beach Games League competed against teams from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Uruguay.

They contested three sports - beach handball, beach soccer and beach volleyball.

The official opening took place in the competition arena, located in Orla de Atalaia, on December 1.

The event was powered by the CBDU and the Brazilian Sports Ministry with support from the Student Athletic Federation of Sergipe and the Aracaju Government. 

It concluded on December 5. 

Second edition in 2017

Brazilian city Maceió, the capital of the Alagoas state, hosted the second edition of the International University Beach Games in 2017.

The event, which featured men’s and women’s competitions in beach handball, beach soccer and beach volleyball, saw 250 athletes take part with hosts Brazil among the nations to compete along with the likes of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Brazil were represented by universities of the Alagoas state and by the winning teams from the 2016 edition of the country’s national University Beach Games. 

An African team from a student internship in Brazil also competed, contesting the beach soccer competition.

The 11-strong outfit comprised athletes from Benin, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea-Bissau and São Tomé and Príncipe.

They study in the Federal University of Roraima in Boa Vista and the invitation to participate in the competition was part of the CBDU programme to approach and promote sports, cultural, social and academic relations among Brazilian university athletes and those from other countries.

In 2016, the internship students participated in the 64th edition of the Brazilian University Games, which took place in the Mato Grosso state.

The CBDU also invited Federation of Africa University Sports President Michael Malumbete, who signed a cooperation agreement for Brazilian and African athletes to make sporting internships.

The second edition of the International University Beach Games was organised by the CBDU, the FISU America and the University Sports Federation of Alagoas, with the seal of the FISU.

Set on the sands of Pajuçara beach, the 2017 event’s arena was designed to offer the best structure to athletes and the general public.

The space consisted of two blocks and had the capacity to receive 3,000 people.

Students from Alagoas state’s public schools, with which the CBDU has signed a partnership to publicise sports practices, were among those in attendance.

All 78 matches were shown live on the CBDU’s Facebook page.