FISU World University Games

The FISU World University Games, formerly the Universiade, is an international multi-sport event, organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). The former name is a portmanteau of the words "University" and "Olympiad".

The Universiade is referred to in English as the World University Games or World Student Games; however, this latter term can also refer to competitions for sub-University grades students. In July 2020 as part of a new branding system by the FISU, it was stated that the Universiade was to be officially branded as the FISU World University Games.

The most recent summer event was the 2025 Summer World University Games held in Rhine-Ruhr region, Germany held from 16-27 July 2025, while the most recent winter event was the 2025 Winter World University Games held in Turin, Italy from 13 to 23 January 2025.

Precursors

The idea of a global international sports competition between student-athletes pre-dates the 1949 formation of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), which now hosts the Universiade, and even the first World University Games held in 1923. English peace campaigner Hodgson Pratt was an early advocate of such an event, proposing (and passing) a motion at the 1891 Universal Peace Congress in Rome to create a series of international student conferences in rotating host capital cities, with activities including art and sport. This did not come to pass, but a similar event was created in Germany in 1909 in the form of the Academic Olympia. Five editions were held from 1909 to 1913, all of which were hosted in Germany following the cancellation of an Italy-based event.

At the start of the 20th century, Jean Petitjean of France began attempting to organise a "University Olympic Games". After discussion with Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games, Petitjean was convinced not to use the word "Olympic" in the tournament's name. Petitjean, and later the Confederation Internationale des Etudiants (CIE), was the first to build a series of international events, beginning with the 1923 International Universities Championships. This was followed by the renamed 1924 Summer Student World Championships a year later and two further editions were held in 1927 and 1928. Another name change resulted in the 1930 International University Games. The CIE's International University Games was held four more times in the 1930s before having its final edition in 1947.

A separate group organised an alternative university games in 1939 in Vienna, in post-Anschluss Germany. The onset of World War II ceased all major international student sport activities and the aftermath also led to division among the movement, as the CIE was disbanded and rival organisations emerged. The Union Internationale des Étudiants (UIE) incorporated a university sports games into the World Festival of Youth and Students from 1947 to 1962, including one separate, unofficial games in 1954. This event principally catered for Eastern European countries.

After the closure of the CIE and the creation of the first UIE-organised games, FISU came into being in 1949 and held its own first major student sport event the same year in the form of the 1949 Summer International University Sports Week. The Sports Week was held biennially until 1955. Like the CIE's games before it, the FISU events were initially Western-led sports competitions.

Division between the largely Western European FISU and Eastern European UIE eventually began to dissipate among broadened participation at the 1957 World University Games. This event was not directly organised by either group, instead being organised by Jean Petitjean in France (which remained neutral to the split), but all respective nations from the groups took part. The FISU-organised Universiade became the direct successor to this competition, maintaining the biennial format into the inaugural 1959 Universiade. It was not until the 1957 World University Games that the Soviet Union began to compete in FISU events. That same year, what had previously been a European competition became a truly global one, with the inclusion of Brazil, Japan and the United States among the competing nations. The increased participation ultimately led to the establishment of the Universiade as the primary global student sport championship.

Precursor events

Not recognized by FISU as Universiade or World University Games:

Editions

Summer Games

Winter Games

Sports

Summer Games

Since the second edition held in 1961, it has been up to the Organizing Committee and the National University Sports Federation of the host country to choose sports or optional competitions. According to their demands, there is a list of mandatory sports that are defined by the International University Sports Federation and could be reviewed at the end of each edition. The event also serves as the World University Championship. At the first edition, only 8 sports were in the program (athletics, basketball, fencing, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, volleyball and water polo). The first sport to be considered optional was diving, which was added to the second edition in 1961. In addition, optional events were added in basketball and volleyball when women's tournaments were played. In 1963, the women's basketball was dropped from the sporting program. In 1967, the third World University Judo Championship was held in Tokyo and was integrated into the fifth edition of the Summer Universiade as an optional sport, thus gaining the status of an optional sport and thus inaugurating a new type of sport at the event, which is that of the optional sport. Therefore, the sport with this status is not part of the fixed program and could be in the current edition, but not necessarily in the next one.

Compulsory sports

Team sports

1. Basketball at the Summer World University Games
2. Volleyball at the Summer World University Games
3. Water polo at the Summer World University Games

Individual sports

1. Athletics at the Summer World University Games
2. Swimming at the Summer World University Games: Swimming has been a compulsory event since the first edition in 1959. Open water events were held in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017.
3. Diving at the Summer World University Games
4. Gymnastics at the Summer World University Games (artistic and rhythmic): Artistic Gymnastics was an optional sport in 1961, turned compulsory in 1963. Rhythmic Gymnastics was an optional sport in 1991, 1995 and 1997, turned compulsory in 2001. An aerobics event was held as an optional event in 2011.
5. Fencing at the Summer World University Games
6. Tennis at the Summer World University Games
7. Table tennis at the Summer World University Games – Compulsory since 2007. Optional sport in 2001.
8. Judo at the Summer World University Games – Compulsory since 2007. Optional sport in 1967, 1985, 1995, 1999, 2001 and 2003.
9. Taekwondo at the Summer World University Games – Compulsory since 2017. Optional sport in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2015.
10. Archery at the Summer World University Games – Compulsory since 2019. Optional sport in 2003, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017.
11. Badminton at the Summer World University Games – Compulsory since 2021. Optional sport in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017.

Optional sports

Team sports

1. Baseball at the Summer World University Games – 4 times (1993, 1995, 2015, 2017, 2029)
2. Beach volleyball at the Summer World University Games – 3 times (2011, 2013, 2025, 2027)
3. Field hockey at the Summer World University Games – 2 times (1991, 2013)
4. Rugby sevens at the Summer World University Games – 2 times (2013, 2019, 2029)
5. Basketball at the Summer World University Games (3x3 basketball) – 1 time (2025)
6. Handball at the Summer World University Games – 1 time (2015)
7. Softball at the Summer World University Games – 1 time (2007, 2029)

Individual sports

1. Rowing at the Summer World University Games – 7 times (1987, 1989, 1993, 2013, 2015, 2021, 2025, 2027)
2. Shooting at the Summer World University Games – 6 times (2007, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2019 and 2021)
3. Wrestling at the Summer World University Games – 5 times (1973, 1977, 1981, 2005, 2013)
4. Golf at the Summer World University Games – 4 times (2007, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2027)
5. Sailing at the Summer World University Games – 4 times (1999, 2005, 2011, 2019)
6. Weightlifting at the Summer World University Games – 3 times (2011, 2013, 2017)
7. Canoeing at the Summer World University Games – 2 times (1987, 2013)
8. Chess at the Summer World University Games – 2 times (2011, 2013)
9. Cycling at the Summer World University Games – 2 times (1983, 2011)
10. Wushu at the Summer World University Games – 2 times (2017, 2021)
11. Belt wrestling at the Summer World University Games – 1 time (2013)
12. Boxing at the Summer World University Games – 1 time (2013)
13. Roller sports at the Summer World University Games – 1 time (2017)
14. Sambo at the Summer World University Games – 1 time (2013)
15. Synchronized swimming at the Summer World University Games – 1 time (2013)

Removed sports

1. Football at the Summer World University Games – Obsolescent since 2019, after the creation of the FISU University World Cup Football. Optional sport in 1979, compulsory from 1985 to 2019.

Winter Games

Since 1960 until 1989, limited and fixed sports were held. Since the 1991 Winter Universiade the host is allowed to choose some sports that are approved by FISU as optional sports.

Compulsory sports

Team sports

1. Curling at the Winter World University Games – Compulsory since 2007. Optional sport in 2003.
2. Ice hockey at the Winter World University Games – Compulsory since 1966. Optional sport in 1962.

Individual sports

1. Alpine skiing at the Winter World University Games
2. Biathlon at the Winter World University Games – Compulsory since 1997. Optional sport in 1983, 1989, 1993, 1997 and 1999.
3. Cross-country skiing at the Winter World University Games
4. Figure skating at the Winter World University Games – Compulsory since 1981. Optional sport in 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966 and 1968.
5. Freestyle skiing at the Winter World University Games – Compulsory since 2023. Optional sport in 2005, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019.
6. Snowboarding at the Winter World University Games – Compulsory since 1999. Optional sport in 1995 and 1997.
7. Ski-orienteering at the Winter World University Games – Compulsory since 2027. Optional sport in 2019, gained special status in 2025.
8. Short track speed skating at the Winter World University Games – Compulsory since 1997. Optional sport in 1985, 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1995.

Optional sports

Team sports

1. Bandy at the Winter World University Games – 1 time (2019)

Individual sports

1. Cross-country running at the Winter World University Games – 1 time (2027)
2. Nordic combined at the Winter World University Games – 27 times (1960–1970, 1978, 1981–2023). Compulsory sport from 1960 to 1970, and from 1981 to 2007; optional in 1972, 1978, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2023.
3. Ski jumping at the Winter World University Games – 25 times (1960–1972, 1978, 1981–2017). Compulsory sport from 1960 to 1970, and between 1981 and 2007; optional in 1972, 1978, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2023.
4. Ski mountaineering at the Winter World University Games – 2 times (2025, 2027)
5. Skeleton at the Winter World University Games – 1 time (2005)

Special sport status

1. Speed skating at the Winter World University Games – 12 times (1968–2027). Sport with special status (1968, 1970, 1972, 1991, 1997, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2023, 2027).

Medals

Summer Games

Winter Games

See also

• International University Sports Federation
• FISU World University Championships
• FISU America Games
• All-Africa University Games
• European Universities Games
• ASEAN University Games
• Gymnasiade
• International Children's Games

Official statistics reports

External links