1,000 days may seem like a long time away, but that is the number that remain until the start of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games. Five host cities in the German region of North Rhine Westphalia, Bochum, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Essen and Mülheim an der Ruhr, will welcome 10,000 athletes and officials from 170 countries from 16 to 27 July of 2025.

The Rhine-Ruhr organising committee is using this milestone to launch its brand purpose that will provide a clear direction and mandate within which to deliver the Games. This purpose centres on future growth and development in the areas of sports, science, culture, and economy through the hosting of the FISU Games.

“Sport plays an important role in our society and conveys values such as social interaction, fair play, respect and inclusion. The Rhine-Ruhr 2025 should help to focus more on the sport with its diversity, as we recently did impressively with the European Championships in Munich,” explains Stefan Kürten, CEO of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Games gGmbH.

The inclusion of science as a key pillar is an important driver of this purpose. Bringing leaders together to solve future challenges is a terrific opportunity for the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Games. Organisers are connecting with a range of stakeholders to share the vision of Rhine-Ruhr 2025. “The interlocking of science, sport and business will bring sustainable added value for our entire society,” adds Kürten.

Sustainability plays a significant role in the planning for Rhine-Ruhr. Existing infrastructure is being leveraged with 95% of the required venues and facilities already in place and without the need to be rebuilt. 21 sports facilities across the region will be used to deliver the 18 sports on the programme. Additionally, all facilities are within a 25 km radius and are linked by an efficient public transportation network. This enables a compact event that is more environmentally sustainable.

Sporting competition is the focus, but diverse academic and cultural programmes will also feature in Rhine-Ruhr. Scientific congresses and specialist conferences on such topics as sustainability in and through sport, networked mobility, digitisation, inclusion, and dual career for athletes are planned. “As an international scientific congress, the ’FISU World Conference’ forms the heart of the academic programme. The focus is on the international and interdisciplinary exchange between universities, students and partners from politics and business, on future issues of sport and major sporting events,” explains Jörg Förster, Chairman of the adh (Germany’s National University Sports Federation).

To round out the event, a cultural programme, largely highlighting local artists, will take place in all five main clusters. This is to encourage broad participation for all participants and citizens across the region.

“We believe the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games will set a strong impulse for the society as a whole. They will contribute to a sustainable and innovative development of sport, science, inclusion, ecology and intercultural cooperation,” said Leonz Eder, FISU Acting President. 

“Germany will also be seen as a cosmopolitan nation, with citizens wholeheartedly involved in the course of action. FISU is confident that Rhine-Ruhr 2025 will be a source of inspiration, engaging more young people to sports,” Eder added. 

The next one thousand days will move quickly in preparation for the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games. The establishment of the event’s brand purpose will guide the planning culminating in the opening ceremony on 16 July, 2025 and the start of 12 days of sport, education, and culture.

Written by Doug McLean (with files from Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Games gGmbH)