On Friday, April 17, the countdown for the European Universities Games 2026 was officially launched during the press conference “EUG 2026 - 3 Months To Go”. Organised by UniSA, CUS Salerno and ADISURC, with the support of FederCusi and the Campania Region, the event took place in the wonderful setting of the “Giuseppe Verdi” Theatre in Salerno.

The press conference was moderated by journalist Marcello Festa and included speeches from Vincenzo Panico, Prefectural Commissioner of the Municipality of Salerno; Virgilio D’Antonio, Rector of the University of Salerno; Haris Pavletic, EUSA President, who joined remotely; as well as Emilio Di Marzio, President of Campania Regional Agency for Student Affairs (ADISURC) and Lorenzo Lentini, President of the University Sports Centre of Salerno (CUS Salerno).

EUSA President Pavletic marked the final three-month countdown to the European Universities Games Salerno 2026, highlighting the event as far more than a sporting competition, presenting it as a platform for fostering European unity, cultural exchange, and student development through sport. It emphasised the central role of universities in shaping values such as inclusion, cooperation, and shared identity, while underlining the strong participation from across Europe as a sign of trust in these principles. He stressed the importance of collaboration between institutions in delivering such a large-scale event, praised Salerno and Italy’s distinctive cultural contribution, and framed the Games’ long-term legacy in terms of their impact on people, communities, and the promotion of active, inclusive lifestyles among young Europeans.

As highlighted during the press conference, from July 18 to August 1, Salerno will host around 4000 participants, representing around 400 universities from almost 40 countries. Athletes will compete in the following 13 disciplines, in more than 30 facilities around the Salerno province area: Badminton, Basketball, 3x3 Basketball, Beach Handball, Volleyball, Football, Padel, Futsal, Handball, Tennis, Rugby 7s, Table Tennis, and Beach Volleyball.

Beyond the numbers, the conference provided to the wider national audience an opportunity to present key operational details, the organisational network, and finally to unveil as well one of the most distinctive and engaging elements of the event: the mascot.
Created to represent the University of Salerno as a dynamic space for encounters between cultures and peoples, at the heart of the Mediterranean, the mascot visually expresses the concept of movement and evokes the local environment through its colours.

With in mind the goal of activating the community supporting the event’s narrative, a contest to choose the mascot’s name was launched during the press conference. The academic community and social media audiences can vote until April 30, choosing between the proposed Splash, Sunny, and Wavy names, and thereby contributing directly to shaping the event’s identity.

Under the slogan “Passion never ends”, Salerno is preparing to become the European capital of sport this summer, promoting the values of inclusion, dialogue and intercultural growth for thousands of student-athletes.
More details about the press conference and all information about the upcoming European Universities Games Salerno 2026 are available on the official website of the event: eug2026.eu.