Leonz Eder, Hill Carrow, Dan Guerrero and Éric SaintrondThe Executive Committee of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) voted today to confirm the selection of North Carolina USA as Host of the 2029 FISU World University Games.
The FISU Executive Committee is meeting in Lake Placid prior to the start of the 2023 FISU World University Games Winter taking place in Lake Placid and the Adirondack region, from January 12 to 22, 2023 – the first time the FISU World University Games have been held in the United States in 51 years. Lake Placid was previously host in 1972.
FISU President Leonz Eder said: “We were very impressed with what North Carolina has to offer for the FISU World University Games from our site visits, their candidature dossiers, and the presentation to our Executive Committee in conjunction with their original bid for 2027. Even though North Carolina was not successful with its bid for the 2027 FISU Games last autumn, we have worked diligently with our membership and staff since then, on the best way to secure North Carolina USA as a future host of the FISU World University Games. It is important for our National University Sports Federations that we offer as much certainty for them as possible for the future and we’re grateful for this opportunity to do so.”
North Carolina USA brought a significant delegation in Lake Placid attending the FISU Executive Committee Meeting and Signing Ceremony including Elaine Marshall, North Carolina Secretary of State; Brenda Howerton, Chairman of the Durham County Board of Commissioners; Brian Ralph, President of William Peace University; Richard Beard, President & CEO of the Greensboro Sports Foundation, and Dragomir Cioroslan, Director of International Strategies and Development at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
Secretary Marshall, representing the State of North Carolina, said: “This is a very proud moment in our North Carolina’s history. The FISU World University Games will be the largest event ever hosted in our state, and it will give us the unique opportunity to not only host athletes and fans from more than 150 countries, but to showcase North Carolina, including our renowned universities and all that our great State has to offer, to a worldwide audience of more than 400 million!”
The FISU World University Games Summer have only been held once previously in the United States, in 1993 in Buffalo, New York. North Carolina joins a prestigious roster of future hosts: Chengdu (China) later this year, Rhein-Ruhr (Germany) in 2025 and Chungcheong Megacity (Korea) in 2027.
On behalf of the United States International University Sports Federation (USIUSF), the U.S. member of FISU, Dan Guerrero, USIUSF President, said: “This is a great milestone in university sports history in the United States. Building off the excitement of the FISU World University Games Winter that start here in Lake Placid this week, the 2029 FISU World University Games Summer in North Carolina will take the presence and awareness of international university sports in the United States of America, the number one market in the world for collegiate sports, to the next level!”
North Carolina’s Bid to host the FISU World University Games is centered in central North Carolina, in a region stretching from Raleigh to Greensboro, encompassing the Triangle and Triad areas of the state. The region includes 19 colleges and universities with more than 250,000 university students and has been branded as North Carolina’s University Hub.
Accepting the award of the FISU Games on behalf of North Carolina was Hill Carrow, Chairman & CEO of the North Carolina Bid Committee said: “The award of the 2029 FISU World University Games to our state and country is the culmination of an extensive 5-year effort by more than 1,000 individuals, 13 universities, 5 cities, 5 counties, the State of North Carolina, and 53 corporate and organizational sponsors to land this amazing event. As an event that features the best collegiate athletes from around the world, it is a natural fit for a state with 130 colleges and universities and more than 350,000 university students. North Carolina’s landing these Games is similar to a major corporate relocation as the FISU Games will deliver a local economic impact of over $150 million, but with the added benefits of significant international tourism and worldwide branding exposure for our state and local communities. We thank FISU for selecting North Carolina USA as the Official Host of the 2029 FISU World University Games, and we look forward to partnering with the FISU Family to deliver a most successful 2029 Games!”
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