The 41st SELL Student Games was held from May 22 to May 24 in Riga, Latvia. This year, the event brought together around 1100 participants from 12 countries and 43 universities.

The SELL Games (Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) have a history of over 100 years and are hosted under the patronage of the European University Sports Association (EUSA) and the International University Sports Federation (FISU).

A total of 960 student athletes competed in 14 sports. The largest delegation came from Riga Stradins University with 120 participants, while Lithuania was the most represented country with 449 participants. The delegation traveling the farthest came from China with an Olympic champion badminton coach Li Xuerui.

The opening ceremony set the stage for a thrilling and uplifting weekend full of university sports. Highlights from the event included the athletes parade, orchestra and choir performances, Whimsical sports performance, and awards from the Latvian University Sports Federation (LUSF). The ceremony was a warm welcome from the organising committee, including inspiring speeches that emphasized the importance of cooperation, solidarity, and respect. 

Speeches were made by the President of Latvian University Sports Federation (LUSF), Agita Abele, Indre Celkiene, EUSA EC member, and the message from Latvia’s Minister of Education and Science Dace Melbarde was delivered by Edgars Pukinsks, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Science for Sports and Youth Affairs.

EUSA was represented by Indre Celkiene, EUSA Executive Committee member, Andrej Pisl, Director of Projects & Policy, and Aada Tiermas, ESC volunteer.

The main venue, Rimi Olimpiskals Centre, hosted six sports, and other events took place at Daugava Stadium, Riga Stradiņš University, Vsevolods Zeļonijs Sports School, and in Sigulda and Smiltene. This year the programme included 14 sports: 3x3 basketball, 7v7 football, athletics, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, chess, judo, orienteering, powerlifting, swimming, table tennis, volleyball, and padel, which debuted at the SELL Games this year.

The weekend provided intense competitions and excitement, highlighting the power of sports in bringing together diverse cultures and fostering a sense of university community.

The inaugural edition of the padel tournament featured a compact but competitive international field, with student-athletes representing Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia, competing for the first-ever SELL Games padel medals. This marked an important milestone for the growing sport within university sports.

In addition to sport competitions, the event provided other social and educational events for participants, such as a panel discussion on student athlete development and the promotion of a safe sport environment.

The SELL Games flag was handed over to the representatives of Estonia at the closing ceremony as Estonia is set to host the 2027 SELL Games. Participants left Riga with unforgettable memories, new friendships, and a renewed passion for university sports.

For more information, please see https://sellgames2026.com