There are less than three months to go until the deadline for bidding submissions to host the EUSA 2026 European Universities Games, with interested parties encouraged to submit their letters of intention by the September 30 deadline.

The European Universities Games (EUG), which represent the largest European multisport student event, always marks a special place on the European university sports calendar, combining sport, education and culture over a two-week festival of sport.

Since the first edition held in Cordoba, Spain in 2012, the Games have been organised on a biannual basis. The last edition was held in Coimbra, Portugal in 2018, with the event attracting over 4000 participants representing almost 300 European universities from 38 countries.



EUG2026 is set to be another successful international event governed by the European University Sports Association, which should include the following sports competitions:

- Compulsory (13) - men and women: Badminton, Basketball, 3x3 Basketball, Beach Handball, Beach-Volleyball, Football, Futsal, Handball, Karate, Rowing, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball

- Optional (up to 9) - men and women: other sports in the European Universities Championships programme in the year of attribution (these are currently Chess, Golf, Judo, Kickboxing, Rugby 7s, Sports Climbing, Orienteering, Taekwondo, Water Polo)



As has been the case for all editions of the European Universities Games, attribution for such an event is given well in advance in order to give adequate time for host cities to prepare for these prestigious multi-sports events. The bidding process for the 2026 Games was opened on October 1, 2020, giving ample time to potential hosts to submit their letter of intention.

A successful EUG2026 bidding procedure webinar was organised in March this year, attracting widespread interest by several parties wishing to host the Games.

The September 30, 2021 deadline to submit a letter of intention to host EUG2026 is now fast-approaching, with all interested parties encouraged to formally submit their interest by the set deadline.

Thereafter, working meetings with interested host cities will take place, with bidding dossier submissions and evaluation visits set for early 2022.



Interested parties are welcome to contact the EUSA Office for more information, or can get in touch with the national university sports bodies in their country.

For more information, please see www.eusa.eu/events/games/bidding-2026.