The European University Sports Association (EUSA) is set to celebrate a major milestone this June as the European Universities Badminton Championship 2025 in Madrid becomes the 200th EUSA Championship since the association’s founding.

Established in 1999, EUSA launched its first European Universities Championships in 2001 with just two sports: basketball and volleyball. Since then, the programme has grown significantly, adding new sports, expanding participation, and becoming a key part of the European university sport landscape. 

By the mid-2000s, badminton, table tennis, handball, and rugby 7s had joined, followed in later years by rowing, judo, karate, taekwondo, and orienteering.
Today, EUSA includes over 20 sports, offering diverse opportunities for student-athletes from all backgrounds.

Building on early success, EUSA rapidly expanded its programme. Badminton debuted in 2004, becoming a regular and respected sport within the association. Other disciplines like futsal, tennis, and beach volleyball also joined, reflecting increasing university engagement and interest.

With the number of championships increasing, EUSA improved governance and standardisation. Events became more structured and professionally organised, leading to higher-quality competitions and growing interest from university athletes across the continent.

The 2010s marked a decade of significant growth for the European Universities Championships (EUCs) under EUSA. Participation expanded steadily, with more universities, new sports (e.g. 3x3 Basketball in 2013), and improved event quality.

In odd-numbered years, EUCs were held across multiple cities in Europe, while even-numbered years featured the larger European Universities Games (EUG), introduced in 2012. This alternating system became standard.

The launch of the EUG in 2012 added a new dimension. Held in even years, the Games complemented the standalone championships. Badminton remained a core sport, either featured independently or as part of the Games. EUSA’s digital presence and live media coverage also expanded during this era.

In this period, EUSA increased digitalization, gender equality efforts, sustainability practices, and structured volunteer programs, making the 2010s a transformative period for university sport in Europe.

Between 2015 and 2019, the European Universities Championships expanded significantly in scale and diversity. A major milestone was reached in 2017, when for the first time the EUC season featured over 4,000 participants competing across 19 sports - the largest and most varied edition up to that point.

Over the past two decades, EUSA has not only increased the number of sports offered, now more than 20, but also witnessed a significant rise in participation.

In 2023, the championships reached a new peak with 5,570 student-athletes from across Europe taking part, setting a record for engagement and reflecting the growing popularity and impact of the programme. That same year also marked a major leap forward with the launch of the first Winter European Universities Championships, introducing winter sports into EUSA's calendar for the first time.

The 200th championship, hosted by Camilo Jose Cela University and CEDU in Madrid from June 22–28, 2025, shines a spotlight on badminton, a sport that has been a constant presence in the EUSA programme for over 20 years. The event will feature both team and individual competitions, and it will be more than just a tournament: it will be a celebration of EUSA’s journey, uniting thousands of student-athletes through competition, friendship, and shared values.

In 2025, 18 sports events making a total of 24 sports competitions: 3x3 Basketball, Badminton, Basketball, Beach Sports (Beach Handball and Beach Volleyball), Chess, Combat Sports (Judo, Karate, Kickboxing, Taekwondo), Football, Futsal, Handball, Orienteering, Rowing, Rugby 7s, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball, Water Polo, and Padel - for the first time in EUSA EUC history, will take place around Europe. In December, the Winter Sports (Alpine Skiing, Snowboarding, Snow Volleyball) Championships will also be held for their second edition.

With a consistent presence since 2004, Badminton has embodied the values of focus, precision, and fair play, making it a fitting choice to celebrate this bicentennial milestone.

Alongside athletic excellence, EUSA championships promote inclusion, education, sustainability, and intercultural exchange, creating a comprehensive and meaningful experience for all.

The 200th European Universities Championship is more than a numerical milestone; it is a tribute to over two decades of unity, growth, and shared passion among Europe’s student-athletes. As shuttles fly across the court in Madrid, they carry the legacy of 200 chapters written by youth, sport, and collaboration.