As education and sport form the DNA of university sport, events and milestones seemed to go in pair in 2025. Let’s take a look at what the International University Sports Federation achieved in 2025.
At the International University Sports Federation, odd years promise top level performances, exchanges and excitement, as this is when FISU organises its flagship events: the FISU World University Games Winter and Summer. In 2025, both FISU World University Games Winter and Summer took place in Europe: in Torino, Piemonte, Italy in January, and in the Ruhr region and Berlin, Germany in July.
A few Torino 2025 winter pictures
They were a huge success as the best student-athletes of the world competed in a total of 31 sports. In Winter, France topped the medal table (40) followed by the Republic of Korea (20) and Finland (15). In Summer, it was Japan who won the most medals (a total of 70 with 34 gold!), with The People’s Republic of China second (74) and The United States of America (84 but “only” 28 gold) third.
A few Rhine-Ruhr 2025 summer pictures
The population of Piemonte, of the Rhine-Ruhr and Berlin regions welcomed the event with open arms, filling the spectator stands, supporting their home teams and many students volunteered, contributing to make lifelong memories.
And both events celebrated inclusion like no other: by the introduction of para-sports within the Games programme. Not only did para-student athletes take part to the festivities, they competed alongside their teammates on the same day and on the same slopes – for para-alpine-skiing – the same runs – for para-cross-country skiing – and the same court – for 3×3 wheelchair basketball.
Making History
In 2025, both FISU World University Games Winter and Summer took place in Europe: in Torino, Piemonte, Italy in January, and in the Ruhr region and Berlin, Germany in July.
And both events celebrated inclusion like no other: by the introduction of para-sports within the Games programme for the first time ever.
But at the FISU World University Games, not only did para-student athletes take part to the festivities, they competed alongside their teammates on the same day and on the same slopes – for para-alpine-skiing – the same runs – for para-cross-country skiing – and the same court – for 3×3 wheelchair basketball.
FISU Games: numbers that tell stories
Torino 2025 FISU World University Games
- 10,000 tracked online publications
- 10 competition days
- 13 disciplines
- 12 cities involved
- 2565 athletes and staff
- 50 delegations
- 2099 volunteers
- 15,000 accreditations
- 100,000 tickets sold
- 85 million views for the Opening Ceremony
Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games
- 445 + hours of live sport on FISU.TV
- 12 days of sport, science, education and culture
- 102 counties
- 9047 participants
- 1970 universities
- 913 media accreditations
- 20 competition venues
- 18 sports
- 234 medal events
- 27 broken FISU records
FISU University World Cups: showtime on the football pitches in China…
43,386 people showed up at Suoywan Stadium in Dalian, China on 27 ad 28 September to watch Shanghai University of Sport (CHN) and University for Development Studies (GHA) be crowned football university world champions.
In the women’s tournament, Shanghai University of Sport (CHN) defeated Laval University (CAN) 3-1 becoming wonderful world champions after an impeccable tournament.
“I must admit all of us were pretty nervous to play in front of such a big crowd”, said Yin Lihong shyly. “It is so exciting to win in such an atmosphere. We must enjoy the moment but also not forget our studies, which are as important as football to us!”
The men’s final opposed the title holders Paulista University (BRA) and the spectacular “outsiders” from the University for Development Studies (GHA). The game went into extra time. Ghana’s Ezedeen Alhassan scored the winning goal at the 120+1 minute, crowning his University for Development Studies world champions!
… and on the 3×3 basketball courts in Brazil!
In Brasilia mid November, nobody was able to knock the Lithuanians from Vytautas Magnus University off their throne as they claimed a third FISU University World Cup 3×3 Basketball overall victory in a row, beating the locals from Paulista University. Canada’s Carleton University players were crowned this years’ queens after finishing second in 2024.
Lorena Segura Moreno (University of Valencia) and Gabriel Soto (University of Chile) won the shootout competition, while Tracy Namugosa – Uganda Christian University and Rokas Jocys – Vytautas Magnus University were crowned MVPs.
Healthy Campus passed the 200 member universities milestone in October
Following the registration of Western Sydney University – ranked #1 in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings – as the 196th member of the FISU Healthy Campus Programme, ten additional institutions have since joined, bringing the total number of participating universities to 206.
A significant milestone was reached with the 200th registration, achieved by Université Côte d’Azur (France).
To date, 113 universities from 48 countries have been certified under the FISU Healthy Campus Programme, reflecting its strong and diverse global community.
Seminar for 2026 FISU World Championships organising committees
The 2026 FISU World University Championship season was already well on the way, with 20 organising committees in 17 countries already busy creating logos, defining schedules and generally building their event step by step, when 17 of them from 15 countries travelled to FISU headquarters for the traditional three day seminar.
The three-day seminar is aimed at sharing a maximum of information from FISU to the organising committees, but also between the different countries too. The 17 organising committees that took part to the seminar will host the following sports:
- Beach Sports – Figueira da Foz, Portugal
- Cheerleading – Gothenburg, Sweden
- Combat Sports – Brasília, Brazil
- Cross Country – Cassino, Italy
- Finswimming – Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt
- Futsal – Warsaw, Poland
- Handball – Pessac, France
- Mind Sports – Liaocheng, China
- Modern Pentathlon – Madrid, Spain
- Orienteering – Vila Real, Portugal
- Padel – Málaga, Spain
- Rowing – London, Canada
- Rugby Sevens – Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Shooting Sport – New Taipei, Chinese Taipei
- Sport Climbing – Bangkok, Thailand
- Triathlon – Nyon, Switzerland
- Weightlifting – Doha, Qatar
“It is really important for us to welcome these organising committees here at FISU headquarters”, highlighted FISU Championships and World Cups Director, Alejandro Guerra. “We can explain our shared responsibilities, stress the co-construction aspect of these events and try to be as complete as possible in anticipating future challenges. Communication is always key between all actors so we can deliver innovative, inclusive and successful events together.”
All 40 participants returned home full of ideas, inspiration and tips, ready to carry on the good work towards delivering a great 2026 FISU Championships season, with 22 events planned from 14 March until 14 November.
Seminar for Continental University Sports Federations
For the first time in six years, representatives with operational responsibility from all five continents met at FISU headquarters to share successes and challenges around – amongst others – sport events, education, student wellbeing, and resources and sustainability.
“I learned so much from your really interesting contributions”, concluded FISU Secretary General and CEO, Matthias Remund addressing all five continents at the end of the seminar. “Communication must flow both ways. We must share our successes and also our challenges, as we have a common goal: the development of university sports. I now have a more precise idea of the current situation and needs and this will shape not only our work in the FISU office, but also our reinforced collaboration. Thank you, dear partners.”
A first year of visits, discussions and projects
FISU Secretary General/CEO didn’t only welcome stakeholders and partners at Synathlon in Lausanne. He met many of them during events, strategic dialogues or through visits, like the one he paid to EUSA in Lubljana in June, engaging in productive discussions with Secretary General Matjaz Pecovnik and with the rest of EUSA Directors: Sara Rozman, Director Education & Operations / COO; Liam Smith, Director Sports Events; and Andrej Pisl, Director Projects & Policy.
Matthias Remund admits that his first year has flown by. “At FISU, we all have the privilege of promoting sport for young, intelligent people. For this reason alone, we must be eager to learn and always look forward. FISU must meet the needs of students, universities and its members.”
Looking forward to the future
As all even years at FISU, 2026 will showcase World University Championships and University World Cups all over the globe as well as the FISU Forum in Östersund, Sweden, from 24-28 August.
In parallel, the International Federation of University Sports will of course continue its work, developing its new Strategy 2031 focused on sport events, education, student wellbeing, resources and sustainability. And of course will pursue the preparations for its next major events: the Changchun 2027 Winter Universiade in China’s Jilin Province (15-25 January) and the Chungcheong 2027 FISU World University Games in the Republic of Korea (1-12 August), together with the support of long partner Qiaodan, since Zhongqiao Sports and FISU have signed a four year contract renewal.
Join the world university sports movement we dive, swim, slide, jump, cycle, run and even sail excitingly into 2026!