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FISU World University Games

International multi-sport event for university athletes From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

FISU World University Games
Not to be confused with FISU World University Championships.

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".

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FISU World University Games
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The flag of the International University Sports Federation used from 1959 to 2020.
Statusactive
Genresporting event
Frequencybiennial
Location(s)various
Inaugurated1959 (1959) (summer)
1960 (1960) (winter)
Organised byFISU
Websitefisu.net
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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.[1]

The most recent summer event was the 2021 Summer World University Games held in Chengdu, China from 28 July – 8 August 2023, after being postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] It effectively replaced the 2023 Summer World University Games, that was set to be held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, which were cancelled due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[3][4] The most recent winter event was the 2025 Winter World University Games held in Turin, Italy from 13 to 21 January 2025.

Precursors

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A student football match held at the 3rd World Festival of Youth and Students
During the 1989 Summer Universiade
During the 2011 Summer Universiade

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.[5]

Opening ceremony of the 2017 Summer Universiade

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.[5] 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.[6][7]

A separate group organised an alternative university games in 1939 in Vienna, in post-Anschluss Germany.[6] 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.[8]

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.[6]

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.[5][6]

Precursor events

Not recognized by FISU as Universiade or World University Games:

More information #, Year ...
Precursor events
#YearEventBodyHost cityHost country
11923International Universities ChampionshipsCIEParis France
21924Summer Student World ChampionshipsCIEWarsaw Poland
31927Summer Student World ChampionshipsCIERome Italy
41928Summer Student World ChampionshipsCIEParis France
51930International University GamesCIEDarmstadt Germany
61933International University GamesCIETurin Italy
71935International University GamesCIEBudapest Hungary
81937International University GamesCIEParis France
91939International University GamesCIEMonte Carlo Monaco
101939International University GamesNSDStBVienna Germany
111947International University GamesCIEParis France
121947World Festival of Youth and StudentsUIEPrague Czechoslovakia
131949World Festival of Youth and StudentsUIEBudapest Hungary
141949Summer International University Sports WeekFISUMerano Italy
151951World Festival of Youth and StudentsUIEEast Berlin East Germany
161951Summer International University Sports WeekFISULuxembourg Luxembourg
171953World Festival of Youth and StudentsUIEBucharest Romania
181953Summer International University Sports WeekFISUDortmund West Germany
191955World Festival of Youth and StudentsUIEWarsaw Poland
201955Summer International University Sports WeekFISUSan Sebastián Spain
211957World Festival of Youth and StudentsUIEMoscow Soviet Union
221957World University GamesPUCParis France
231959World Festival of Youth and StudentsUIEVienna Austria
241962World Festival of Youth and StudentsUIEHelsinki Finland
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Editions

Summer Games

Locations of host cities of the Summer World University Games (excluding those in Europe)
Locations of host cities of the Summer World University Games (in Europe)
More information Games, Year ...
Overview of summer Universiade events
Games Year Host country Host city Opened by[a] Dates Nations Competitors Sports Events Top nation
1 1959  Italy Turin President Giovanni Gronchi 26 August – 7 September 43985760  Italy
2 1961  Bulgaria Sofia Chairman Dimitar Ganev 25 August – 3 September 321,270968  Soviet Union
3 1963  Brazil Porto Alegre Minister Paulo de Tarso Santos 30 August – 8 September 27713970  Hungary
4 1965  Hungary Budapest Chairman István Dobi 20–30 August 321,729974  Hungary
5 1967  Japan Tokyo Emperor Hirohito 27 August – 4 September 379581083  United States
6 1970  Italy Turin[b] President Giuseppe Saragat 26 August – 6 September 582,084982  Soviet Union
7 1973  Soviet Union Moscow Chairman Leonid Brezhnev 15–25 August 612,77310111  Soviet Union
8 1975  Italy Rome[c] President Giovanni Leone 18–21 August 38468138  Soviet Union
9 1977  Bulgaria Sofia President Todor Zhivkov 17–28 August 782,93910101  Soviet Union
10 1979  Mexico Mexico City President José López Portillo 2–13 September 943,0741097  Soviet Union
11 1981  Romania Bucharest President Nicolae Ceaușescu 19–30 July 822,91210133  Soviet Union
12 1983  Canada Edmonton Prince Charles 1–12 July 732,38210118  Soviet Union
13 1985  Japan Kobe Crown Prince Akihito 24 August – 4 September 1052,38311123  Soviet Union
14 1987  Yugoslavia Zagreb President of the Presidency Lazar Mojsov 8–19 July 1213,39812139  United States
15 1989  West Germany Duisburg[d] Chancellor Helmut Kohl 22–30 August 791,785466  Soviet Union
16 1991  United Kingdom Sheffield Anne, Princess Royal 14–25 July 1013,34611119  United States
17 1993  United States Buffalo Primo Nebiolo 8–18 July 1173,54712135  United States
18 1995  Japan Fukuoka Crown Prince Naruhito 23 August – 3 September 1623,94912144  United States
19 1997  Italy Sicily President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro 19–31 August 1243,49610129  United States
20 1999  Spain Palma de Mallorca Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo 3–13 July 1254,07612142  United States
21 2001  China Beijing President Jiang Zemin 22 August – 1 September 1654,48412170  China
22 2003  South Korea Daegu President Roh Moo-hyun 21–31 August 1734,46013189  China
23 2005  Turkey İzmir President Ahmet Necdet Sezer 11–22 August 1315,34614195  Russia
24 2007  Thailand Bangkok Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn 8–18 August 1516,09315236  China
25 2009  Serbia Belgrade Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković 1–12 July 1225,56615203  Russia
26 2011  China Shenzhen President Hu Jintao 12–23 August 1517,15624302  China
27 2013  Russia Kazan President Vladimir Putin 6–17 July 1597,96627351  Russia
28 2015  South Korea Gwangju President Park Geun-hye 3–14 July 1407,43221274  South Korea
29 2017  Chinese Taipei[e] Taipei President Tsai Ing-wen 19–30 August 1347,37722272  Japan
30 2019  Italy Naples[f] President Sergio Mattarella 3–14 July 1095,89918220  Japan
31 2021  China Chengdu President Xi Jinping 28 July – 8 August 2023[g] 1165,05618268 China
– 2023  Russia Yekaterinburg Cancelled due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine
32 2025  Germany Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region 16–27 July 18234
33 2027  South Korea Chungcheong Province 1-12 August 18242
34 2029  United States North Carolina[9] 11-22 July 18222
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  1. Names & offices in italics reflect an opener who was not head of state when opening the Games. If the office is partially italicized, the non-italicized portion is the office & name of the head of state being represented.
  2. Originally scheduled for Lisbon, Portugal in 1969.
  3. Originally scheduled for Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
  4. Originally scheduled for São Paulo, Brazil.
  5. The Taiwan Republic of China (Taiwan) is recognised as Chinese Taipei by the FISU and the majority of international organisations it participates in due to political considerations and Cross-Strait relations with the People's Republic of China.
  6. Originally scheduled for Brasília, Brazil.
  7. Rescheduled to be held 3 times, but was postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the eventual cancellation of the 2023 Games in Yekaterinburg due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine,FISU decided to held this edition to replaces the 2023 event.

Winter Games

Locations of host cities of the Winter World University Games (excluding those in Europe)
Locations of host cities of the Winter World University Games (in Europe)
More information Games, Year ...
Winter World University Games editions
Games Year Host country Host city Opened by[a] Dates Nations Competitors Sports Events Top nation
1 1960  France Chamonix President Charles de Gaulle 28 February – 6 March 16151513  France
2 1962  Switzerland Villars President Paul Chaudet 6–12 March 22273612  West Germany
3 1964  Czechoslovakia Špindlerův Mlýn President Antonín Novotný 11–17 February 21285515  West Germany
4 1966  Italy Sestriere President Giuseppe Saragat 5–13 February 29434619  Soviet Union
5 1968  Austria Innsbruck President Franz Jonas 21–28 January 26424723  Soviet Union
6 1970  Finland Rovaniemi President Urho Kekkonen 3–9 April 25421724  Soviet Union
7 1972  United States Lake Placid President Richard Nixon 26 February – 5 March 23351725  Soviet Union
8 1975  Italy Livigno President Giovanni Leone 6–13 April 15143213  Soviet Union
9 1978  Czechoslovakia Špindlerův Mlýn President Gustáv Husák 5–12 February 21260416  Soviet Union
10 1981  Spain Jaca King Juan Carlos I 25 February – 4 March 28394519  Soviet Union
11 1983  Bulgaria Sofia Chairman Todor Zhivkov 17–27 February 31535721  Soviet Union
12 1985  Italy Belluno President Sandro Pertini 16–24 February 29538730  Soviet Union
13 1987  Czechoslovakia Štrbské Pleso President Gustáv Husák 21–28 February 28596625  Czechoslovakia
14 1989  Bulgaria Sofia Chairman Todor Zhivkov 2–12 March 32681840  Soviet Union
15 1991  Japan Sapporo Crown Prince Naruhito 2–10 March 34668845  Japan
16 1993  Poland Zakopane President Lech Wałęsa 6–14 February 41668836  Japan
17 1995  Spain Jaca King Juan Carlos I 18–28 February 41765835  South Korea
18 1997  South Korea Muju-Jeonju President Kim Young-sam 24 January – 2 February 48877951  Japan
19 1999  Slovakia Poprad-Vysoké Tatry President Rudolf Schuster 22–30 January 40929952  Russia
20 2001  Poland Zakopane President Aleksander Kwaśniewski 7–17 February 411007952  Russia
21 2003  Italy Tarvisio President Renzo Tondo 16–26 January 4612661059  Russia
22 2005  Austria Innsbruck-Seefeld President Heinz Fischer 12–22 January 5014491268  Austria
23 2007  Italy Turin George Killian 17–27 January 4816681172  South Korea
24 2009  China Harbin State councillor Liu Yandong 18–28 February 4415451281  China
25 2011  Turkey Erzurum President Abdullah Gül 27 January – 6 February 5215931166  Russia
26 2013  Italy Trentino President Ugo Rossi 11–21 December[b] 5016981279  Russia
27 2015  Slovakia Štrbské Pleso–Osrblie[c] President Andrej Kiska 24 January – 1 February 4215461168  Russia
 Spain Granada King Felipe VI 4–14 February
28 2017  Kazakhstan Almaty President Nursultan Nazarbayev 29 January – 8 February 5716201285  Russia
29 2019  Russia Krasnoyarsk President Vladimir Putin 2–12 March 6816921176  Russia
30 2021  Switzerland Lucerne Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
31 2023  United States Lake Placid[10] Governor Kathy Hochul 12–22 January 47 14171285  Japan
32 2025  Italy Turin Minister Andrea Abodi 13–23 January 54 15031190  France
33 2027 TBA
34 2029 TBA
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  1. Names & offices in italics reflect an opener who was not head of state when opening the Games. If the office is partially italicized, the non-italicized portion is the office & name of the head of state being represented.
  2. Originally scheduled for Maribor, Slovenia.
  3. Due to environmental problems in Granada, the Nordic skiing events were transferred to Slovakia.

Sports

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Perspective
See also: Sports at the FISU World University Games

Summer Games

Unlike other sporting events, the World University Games are recognized for the flexibility in their program, as 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 local reality and 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, as the event also serves as the World University Championship in those sports. At the first edition, held in Turin in 1959, only 8 sports were in the sporting 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 held in Sofia, Bulgaria 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 extra 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 is 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) Gymnastics (Artistic) was an optional sport in 1961, turned compulsory in 1963. Rhythmic 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 2015. Optional sport in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2011.
  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 – 5 times (1993, 1995, 2015 and 2017, scheduled for 2029)
  2. Beach volleyball at the Summer World University Games – 4 times (2011, 2013, scheduled for 2025 and 2027)
  3. Field hockey at the Summer World University Games – 2 times (1991, 2013)
  4. Rugby sevens at the Summer World University Games – 3 times (2013, 2019 scheduled for 2029)
  5. Basketball at the Summer World University Games (3x3 basketball) – scheduled for 2025
  6. Handball at the Summer World University Games – 1 time (2015)
  7. Softball at the Summer World University Games – 1 time (2007, scheduled for 2029)
Individual sports
  1. Rowing at the Summer World University Games – 7 times (1987, 1989, 1993, 2013, 2015, 2021 and scheduled for 2025 and 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 and scheduled for 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 World Cup. 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. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Ski mountaineering at the Winter World University Games – 1 time (2025)
  4. Skeleton at the Winter World University Games – 1 time (2005)
Special sport status
  1. Speed skating at the Winter World University Games – 11 times (1968–2023). Sport with special status (1968, 1970, 1972, 1991, 1997, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2023).

Medals

See also: All-time Universiade medal table

Summer Games

More information Rank, NUSF ...
RankNUSFGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 China (CHN)5463472921,185
2 United States (USA)5144504231,387
3 Russia (RUS)4303644191,213
4 Soviet Union (URS)*409337251997
5 Japan (JPN)3753644761,215
6 South Korea (KOR)260221284765
7 Italy (ITA)212225284721
8 Ukraine (UKR)182185179546
9 Romania (ROU)148132149429
10 Hungary (HUN)120105121346
Totals (10 entries)3,1962,7302,8788,804
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Winter Games

More information Rank, NUSF ...
RankNUSFGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Russia (RUS)207188180575
2 South Korea (KOR)1218678285
3 Japan (JPN)112119106337
4 Soviet Union (URS)*1039267262
5 China (CHN)746676216
6 Italy (ITA)576271190
7 France (FRA)575755169
8 Poland (POL)566561182
9 Czechoslovakia (TCH)*544025119
10 Austria (AUT)515253156
Totals (10 entries)8928277722,491
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See also

References

External links

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