29. 07. 2025

FISU World University Games 2025 concluded in Rhine-Ruhr

The Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games have just come to a close after twelve unforgettable days of sport, celebration, and international exchange in the heart of Germany’s Rhine-Ruhr region.

From July 16 to 27, five cities, Bochum, Duisburg, Essen, Hagen, and Mulheim an der Ruhr, along with the capital Berlin, welcomed the world’s top university athletes for one of the largest multi-sport events on the global stage.

With this year’s motto, “Everybody is all in” at its core, the FISU Games brought together around 8,500 student-athletes from over 150 countries, competing across 18 different sports.

The concept behind the 2025 edition emphasized regional collaboration and sustainability, making the most of existing infrastructure while reducing travel time between venues. Dusseldorf, although no longer a competition site, supported the event by hosting the Welcome Center, the FISU family accommodation, and the headquarters of the Organising Committee.

102 countries, 9047 participants, 1970 universities. 913 media accredited, over 445 hours of live sport, with 234 medal events and 27 FISU records broken. The numbers speak for themselves as the Rhine- Ruhr 2025 FISU World University flame goes out after 12 days of sport, science, education and culture all blended together.

2974 female and 3259 male student-athletes competed in six cities and in 18 sports, beating many FISU records in swimming (17), athletics (6) and archery (4).

Beyond the competitions, participants engaged in a rich programme of educational and cultural activities, with particular attention given to the theme of mental health. A special highlight was the three-day FISU World Conference, held from 17 to 19 July at the Jahrhunderthalle in Bochum. Under the theme “Competing for Change: Exploring Sustainability and (Mental) Health Through Sports”, the conference brought together around 400 participants from more than 40 countries. This academic gathering added depth and global perspective to discussions around athlete wellbeing, a topic that resonates strongly with EUSA’s Youmind project and reflects a growing commitment to mental health support within university sport.

The final medal tally was led by the United States of America, the People's Republic of China, and Japan, taking the first three places in the medal table. The event, however, was a big success also for the European delegations, not only for the medals and results, but also for the unforgettable memories that will remain forever in the participants' minds.

Out of the European countries, 40 of them participated in the vibrant event, which featured 18 different sports. A total of 297 medals were obtained by the student athletes from Europe, of which 80 were gold, 97 silver, and 120 bronze. Italy, Germany, Poland, Turkiye, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Hungary, France, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland were the most successful European countries, with their athletes bringing over 10 medals back to their homeland.

European athletes shone brightly, with both individual and team performances leaving a lasting impression. Klara Lukan of Slovenia, the country where EUSA’s office is based, proudly represented her nation by winning gold in the 10,000 meters and breaking a record in the process. In team sports, Italy’s women’s volleyball team delivered a brilliant performance to win the final, while Germany’s men’s beach volleyball team thrilled the home crowd by taking the title.

As the flame was extinguished and the curtain fell on Rhine-Ruhr 2025, the focus shifted to the future. During the closing ceremony, the FISU flag was officially handed over to South Korea’s Chungcheong region, which will host the next edition of the Summer World University Games in 2027.

EUSA warmly congratulates its member federations and all participating athletes for their dedication, achievements, and the spirit they brought to these Games. Their efforts not only earned medals but also created memories, friendships, and pride that reflect the values of university sport.

The 2025 Games were a powerful reminder of what is possible when students, sport, and solidarity come together. This summer, everybody truly was all in.

* Information and photos provided by the official website of the Games https://multimedia.rhineruhr2025.com/ & https://rhineruhr2025.com/

For more information, please see https://rhineruhr2025.com/

FISU World University Games 2025 concluded in Rhine-Ruhr

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