Off to a flyer! Wüst sets FISU Games Flame on road to Rhine-Ruhr 2025

NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst achieved the seemingly impossible task of lighting up a 3,500-square-metre airship hangar in Mülheim an der Ruhr on Monday evening. Appearing through an expectant audience drawn from all corners of the globe, the highest-ranking official in North-Rhine Westphalia proudly held aloft the brightest torch of all: the FISU Games Flame for Rhine-Ruhr 2025.

“The torch is here! It shines and spreads bright anticipation for a great sports festival this summer here in North Rhine-Westphalia,” Wüst announced to cheers. “We are welcoming the teams and delegations from all continents with open arms. We are delighted to have the world as our guests.”

Many of those guests were visibly stunned upon arriving at the gargantuan ‘Luftschiffhangar’ for the Welcome Dinner of the spring Heads of Delegation meeting – an important milestone in the preparation of the FISU Games this July.

But soon all eyes were on the stage and not the vast zeppelin suspended above it, as Wüst completed the final few metres of the flame’s long journey from its ignition at the Torino 2025 FISU Games Winter in January.

"I believe you can already feel it here this evening - everyone is looking forward to the largest multi-sport event of the year, taking place in North Rhine-Westphalia,” he said. “I truly think that this is magnificent. We have already demonstrated our capability to host such an event at past sporting occasions like the World and European Championships in football and other sports."

The Torch of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games skilfully combines tradition with transformation. It incorporates classic elements of the region, from its mining, manufacturing, and engineering roots to the post-industrial, vibrant cultural landscape of today.

"NRW is always happy to host events like this,” Wüst said. “We will be great hosts. We are looking forward to it."

Following Wüst’s speech, guests were treated to the first public performance of the official anthem of this summer’s spectacular by the celebrated composer and musician, Jan Löchel. And then it was time for the FISU Games Flame to take flight, with the passing of the Torch from Wüst to its next bearer, the local hip-hop sensation, Stella Ritter.

"I love to perform for big crowds with all the international athletes on my side and it's going to be the same in 100 days' time for the FISU World University Games,” Ritter said.

Monday’s showpiece marked 100 days to go in the four-year long countdown to the hosting of the FISU World University Games in the Rhine-Ruhr region and Berlin.

The Torch will now begin its tour of the six Host Cities – Bochum, Duisburg, Essen, Mülheim, Hagen and Berlin - under the motto 'Everybody is all-in’. Here is where you can follow the FISU Games Flame on its magical journey. To book your seats for your favourite sports at Rhine-Ruhr 2025, click here.