The inaugural 2019 FISU University World Cup officially kicked off in Jiniang, China in front of an excited crowd and numerous high-profile guests at the event’s lively Opening Ceremony.

Jinjiang Football Park Stadium was a picture of colour and excitement as the event got underway with various performances of traditional dance, martial arts, acrobatics and choreography, officially opening the first-time event which will see 24 university teams – 16 male and 8 female – battle it out for University World Cup honours over the next ten days.



In attendance at the Opening Ceremony was invited guest and former Argentina international footballer Juan Sebastien Veron, along with a number of university sport’s highest authorities, including FISU President Mr Oleg Matytsin and EUSA President Mr Adam Roczek.



KELME 2019 FISU University World Cup - Football, which has Portuguese superstar Luis Figo as it’s official ambassador, will make use of 14 football venues for competition and training, with Jinjiang Football Park Stadium the biggest arena with 8 000 seats.

Making up the 432 footballers present are eight university teams from Asia, five teams from the Americas, two teams from Oceania, one team from Africa and nine teams from Europe, where this year’s European Universities Football Championships were also used as qualifiers.





The men’s university teams from Europe include University of Malaga (ESP), Julius Maximilians University of Wurzburg (GER), Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University (UKR), International University of Language & Media (ITA), Smolensk State Academy (RUS) and University of Split (CRO), while the women’s teams include the University of Lausanne (SUI) and the Siberian Federal University (RUS).

All 16 men’s teams were in action on the opening day, with the females kicking off their tournament on Day 2.



The women’s final will take place at Jinjiang Football Park Stadium on 30 November, with the men’s final taking place at the same venue one day later. 

For more information, news, fixturs and results from the competition, please visit Fisu.net or the FISU University World Cup official website.