World University Championships

University sports deserve the crowning of an international champion every year

Having the Summer and Winter Universiades every other year was not enough for university sport competitors and fans. With this in mind, the International University Sports Federation (FISU) launched the World University Championship series to take place during the even-numbered years between Universiades.

As single sport competitions, these World University Championships give cities - and often universities - the chance to host a major international sports event with minimum cost and complexity. In 2018, 35 stand-alone World University Championship events made for a calendar overflowing with quality competitions. The 2020 season will boast 26 World University Championship event opportunities for student athletes!

Open Call for Championship Hosts

So you might be thinking, "This all sounds so great. How do I get my city or association involved?" The bidding period for the 2022 and 2024 World University Championship hosts began in July 2018 and will stay open through to August 2019. If you are intrigued by organising either a 2022 Championship event, check out the Bidding Brochure below. Just do not forget to send a hosting letter of intent to the FISU World University Championship department at: championships@fisu.net.

FISU WUC Hosting Brochure

For more detailed information about why hosting a FISU event such at the World University Championship could make great sense for you, check out FISU’s dedicated hosting section here.

The World University Championships, FISU’s Sport Innovation Lab

From table tennis to taekwondo, the World University Championships is the gateway for new sports and formats to make their way into the Universiade. This allows FISU to experiment with international sport federations to enhance sports delivery and innovation.

FISU’s partnership with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) to develop and promote a new discipline such as 3x3 basketball is one recent example. Since collaborating with FIBA to make basketball a more versatile sport, the 3x3 format is now the undisputed game of choice on courts all over the globe and is the number one urban team sport in the world.

Mixed team archery, a competition format first tested and developed at FISU’s World University Championships in 2006, will join 3x3 basketball for its Olympic Games debut during Tokyo 2020.

As the home of university sports, it is in our DNA to collaborate with global partners to keep innovating in the ways that will shape the future of sports.