The FISU World University Games (formerly known as Universiade) are the world’s largest multi-sport event apart from the Olympic and Paralympic Games and will take place in Germany for the first time since 1989.
In July 2025, North Rhine-Westphalia and the region of Rhine-Ruhr will welcome around 10,000 athletes and officials from over 170 countries. They will compete at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games over a period of 12 days and in 18 different sports. The competitions will be carried out in Bochum, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Essen and Mülheim an der Ruhr. Apart from top-ranking sport competitions aspects of science, sustainability and innovation as well as intercultural exchange will also be in focus. Organizer of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games is the German University Sports Federation (adh).
“We are very happy with the trust placed in us and the decision of FISU, which is of historic importance both for German University Sports and for German Sports on the whole. We will seize this opportunity and together with our partners we will host this major event and combine sport and science in an exemplary way. The conceptual focus of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games will be on social, ecological and economic sustainability topics as well as on innovation and participation. With these main aspects and the close involvement of the academic fields during the preparation and implementation the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games can serve as an incubator for processes of change in sport and in the metropolitan region of Rhine-Ruhr. Apart from this they should provide longer term development impulses in society as a whole – especially in regard to intensive involvement of students“, says Jörg Förster, Chairman of the adh Board.
The acting FISU president, Leonz Eder, also emphasized: “The Universiade 1989 in Duisburg, that the host managed to organize in just six months, is still remembered well. In the past, the adh also proved itself to be an excellent organizer of several FISU World University Championships; among other for Beach Volleyball in Munich and Equestrian in Aachen. The concept of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games, that is convincing in various aspects, was developed and derived by the adh in close cooperation with FISU. I especially like the emphasis on sustainability and environmental awareness. FISU looks forward to the continued cooperation on the road to 2025 and beyond, in the knowledge that the adh is both a strong and reliable partner.“
The concept for the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games was successfully developed by the Germany University Sports Federation over the past two years in close cooperation with the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community, the State Chancellery of North-Rhine Westphalia, FISU and the municipalities of Bochum, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Essen and Mülheim an der Ruhr, the adh-member universities as well as further partners of sports and academic authorities.
The Federal Minister of the Interior, Building and Community Horst Seehofer: “It is great news that the world’s second-largest multi-sport event will be held in Germany in the summer of 2025. We offer thousands of student-athletes an attractive venue for top-class performance – and visitors will be treated to a top-class event. I have no doubt that the 2025 World University Games will be an unforgettable sporting experience.”
The Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, Armin Laschet: “North Rhine-Westphalia is the number one sport land and the address for top-class international competitions. We are delighted to welcome young athletes from all over the world to the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games. The participants can expect first-class sports venues, a cosmopolitan and tolerant state and a sports-loving and passionate audience. North Rhine-Westphalia is happy to host one of the great events of world sport.“
The President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation Alfons Hörmann: “Congratulations to all who helped to bring the 2025 FISU World University Games to the Rhine-and-Ruhr region. Short distances, already existing venues, excellent organizing talent and its people who are extremely enthusiastic about sports – these are the valuable elements that defined the successful application. We look forward to celebrating a sustainable and cosmopolitan major sport event together with the global community of student-athletes.
Background information on the FISU World University Games
The FISU World University Games will be carried out by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) in winter and summer every two years (in odd-numbered years). They are currently the world’s largest multi-sports event apart from the Olympic and Paralympic Games – with approximately 10,000 participants from over 170 nations.
The following fifteen compulsory sports are part of the summer edition of the FISU World University Games: Archery, Artistic Gymnastics, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Diving, Fencing, Judo, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Volleyball and Water Polo. The optional sports 3x3 Basketball, Beach Volleyball and Rowing round out the programme of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games. It is also planned to integrate several Paralympic competitions into the programme, too.
The FISU World University Games are open to students up to 25 years of age who have been nominated by their national organizations. Participants will include both, student competitive athletes as well as established elite athletes.
The FISU World University Games also include an international science congress and a wide-ranging thematic supporting programme as well as a multi-layered intercultural event, that will have a positive effect way beyond the period of the event. The combination of high-level sports, cultural impressions and personal exchange provide the special flair of the FISU Games that will also excite elite sport stars, too.
Among other, the following well-known German participants competed at FISU World University Games/Universiades: Jörg Ahmann, Dr. Thomas Bach, Dr. Sabine Bau, Ole Bischoff, Karla Borger, Britta Büthe, Heide Ecker-Rosendahl, Jan Fitschen, Ariane Friedrich, Eberhard Gienger, Dr. Michael Groß, Fabian Hambüchen, Betty Heidler, Britta Heidemann, Andreas Hofmann, Dr. Franz-Josef Kemper, Sarah Köhler, Thomas Lurz, Björn Otto, Dr. Yorck Polus, Wolf-Dieter Poschmann, Silke Renk-Lange, Prof. Dr. Klaus Steinbach and Britta Steffen.