The 2025 promises to be an exciting year for FISU and the whole global community of university sport, with two major sport events that cannot be missed: the World University Winter Games in Turin (Italy), in January, and the World University Summer Games Rhine-Ruhr (Germany), in July.

Torino Winter Games - January 2025

In 2025 the FISU Games return to their birthplace of Torino for their winter edition. It is the second time that the Italian city will be the host venue of the FISU Winter Games, after the previous edition in 2007, with organizers delighted to welcome the world’s top student-athletes back to the very same place, from 13 – 23 of January 2025.

Six different municipalities of Turin’s greater city area will be the setting of winter competitions in 11 sports over the course of 11 days, between 13-23 January 2025. Regarding the disciplines involved, the Torino 2025 World University Winter Games will present 9 compulsory sports (Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Snowboard, Biathlon, Freestyle/Free skiing, Ice Hockey, Figure Skating, Short-Track Speed Skating and Curling) and 2 new optional sports: Ski Orienteering and Ski mountaineering. In addition, for the first time in the history of FISU Winter Games, para students-athletes will compete on the same slopes and tracks in both alpine skiing and cross-country skiing.

Alpine skiing, snowboarding, and freestyle will be held in Bardonecchia, the municipality of Pragelato will host cross-country skiing, biathlon, and the optional sport of ski orienteering, Pinerolo and Torre Pellice will welcome ice hockey, the other optional sport of ski mountaineering will be held in Sestriere, while competition in figure skating, short track speed skating, curling, and ice hockey will be held in Torino.

The 2025 edition of the World University Winter Games will showcase a rich collateral cultural program as well, built together by the Organizing Committee with all the stakeholders of the territory. In this framework, BRAINstorm, an international mind challenge is being organized in close collaboration with the four universities of the Piemonte region (Università di Torino, Politecnico di Torino, Università di Scienze Gastronomiche di Pollenzo e Università del Piemonte Orientale). The contest has accompanied the planning of the Games since its inception and will culminate on the very dates when the best student athletes in the world will compete for medals on the snow and ice of Torino 2025.

In many ways the Torino 2025 FISU Games will represent a homecoming for FISU, which was founded in the Italian city in 1949. University students from all over the world will again bring a spotlight to the region for 11 days of great sport competitions in early 2025. The Organizing Committee of Torino 2025 FISU Games is made up of FederCUSI, EDISU Piemonte, CUS Torino, Regione Piemonte, and Città di Torino.

Rhine-Ruhr Summer Games - July 2025

For the first time in FISU history, an entire region will host the 2025 FISU World University Summer Games. With a combined population of around 10.5 million, the Rhine-Ruhr area stands as the densest university landscape and one of the most sports-mad region in Europe, making it the perfect setting for the FISU World University Summer Games. The 2025 edition will be the second time for the FISU Summer Games to be held in this region of Germany, after the 1989 Summer Universiade, when 3,000 students from around the world converged in the city of Duisburg.

From 16 to 27 July 2025, the Rhine-Ruhr region will again be home to top-class university sport as the FISU World University Summer Games will take place in the 5 hosting cities of Bochum, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Essen, and Mülheim an der Ruhr. A foreseen total of around 10,000 student-athletes and officials from up to 170 countries will compete for medals in 18 sports, making Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Summer Games the largest world multisport event of the year. Regarding the linked volunteer program, around 12,000 volunteers are expected to take part as well.

The Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games will offer three larger venue hubs with several competition venues in addition to individual venues. Overall, 21 sports venues in the five host cities of Bochum, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Essen and Mülheim an der Ruhr have been earmarked for the Games. Only already existing venues or temporary sports facilities, all located within a 25-kilometer radius and connected by a dense public transport network, will be used for the competitions, leaving a low carbon footprint and sustainable legacy since no new halls or stadia are required to be built.

The student-athletes will be able to compete in 3x3 basektball, 3x3 wheelchair basketball, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, archery, fencing, apparatus gymnastics, judo, athletics,rhythmic sports gymnastics, rowing, to swim, taekwondo, tennis, table tennis, volleyball, water polo and diving. 

The vision for the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games is to create a platform for students which, while emphasizing top performance sports, also functions to bring together students from all over the world and encourage interaction between them. Moreover, The Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games will serve as a unique platform to combine top-class sport and science. It will draw the world’s attention to Germany as a sports destination and promote North Rhine-Westphalia as a hub for science, thanks to rich cultural and educational side programs specifically dedicated.

The German University Sports Federation (ADH) is a shareholder of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games. Together with the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI), the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia, FISU and the host cities of Bochum, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Essen and Mülheim an der Ruhr and other partners from organized sports and academic field, ADH developed the concept for the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Games and submitted the successful bid.

To learn more about the Torino 2025 FISU Winter Games, please visit the official website: https://wugtorino2025.com/ and to learn more about the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Summer Games, please visit the official website: https://rhineruhr2025.com/