Rhine-Ruhr 2025: Berlin becomes another venue

The new concept for the FISU World University Games 2025 has been finalised and all 18 sports plus an extensive festival programme are in place: the sports metropolis Berlin will be an additional venue for the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games.

The distribution has been finalised: Berlin will be part of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games. The sports of diving, swimming and volleyball will be staged using existing sports infrastructure in the capital, maintaining the high international standards of one of the world's largest multi-sport events in 2025. Berlin will complement the existing venues in Bochum, Duisburg, Essen, Mülheim an der Ruhr and Hagen. The sponsors - the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Federal Government - approved the final programme and financing concept a few weeks ago, with the additional support of German University Sports Association (adh) as organiser, and the International University Sports Federation (FISU).

This means that around 8,500 athletes from around 150 countries can look forward to a varied programme of 18 sports in outstanding venues. Nothing stands in the way of the international sports festival taking place from 16 to 27 July 2025.

Iris Spranger, Berlin's Senator for the Interior and Sport, said: "We are proud to be part of one of the largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games and to once again experience top international sport in the capital. For Berlin as a sports metropolis, it goes without saying that we will support the organisers and sponsors so that swimming, diving and volleyball can also take place. Berlin has the infrastructure to cope with this tight schedule. We can organise the competitions at the highest international level on a sustainable basis by using tried and tested sports facilities. This underlines the fact that Germany is an excellent and reliable organiser of major international sporting events.

Organisation is secured

Niklas Börger, CEO of Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Games gGmbH, said: „We are delighted that the sports metropolis of Berlin supports our concept and that we finally have planning security. Athletes and fans from all over the world can now look forward to the sporting event of the year and a huge party in the heart of the Ruhr region and the sporting metropolis of Berlin. At the end of September, we will provide further insights into the content of our event.“

The organisation of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games is thus secured. More information will be provided at a press event at the end of September, which will increase the anticipation for the next major multi-sport event to be held in central Europe following the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Mahmut Özdemir, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior, added: "As an enthusiastic sports nation and globally recognised host, Germany is professional when it comes to staging major international sporting events. With the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games, we are consistently pursuing our strategic path, which we have already successfully followed with the organisation of the European Championships 2022 in Munich, the Special Olympics World Games 2023 in Berlin, and UEFA EURO 2024. And we can also connect across regions: the west-east axis between the Rhine-Ruhr and Berlin has already worked perfectly for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2022 European Basketball Championships. I am therefore grateful that the State of Berlin is taking on the task of supporting the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Rhine-Ruhr region in organising the 32nd FISU World University Games in Germany. Together, the Rhine-Ruhr region and Berlin will prove that a multi-site concept can be implemented in a modern and sustainable way. It will be another calling card for Germany as a sporting nation, which is now bidding to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games with the full support of the entire Federal Government.”

Andrea Milz, State Secretary for Sport and Volunteering in North Rhine-Westphalia, said: “We have just seen at the Olympic Games in Paris what a great experience multi-sport events are. We will experience these positive impressions and experiences here in the region next year when the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games come to North Rhine-Westphalia. The use of existing sports facilities and the supra-regional staging of the event is the next step towards sustainable major sporting events and will further increase the acceptance of these events among the population. I'm really looking forward to it."

In the four cities of Bochum, Duisburg, Essen and Mülheim an der Ruhr, which have been planned as venues for the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games from the very beginning, there is satisfaction that the concept has now been finalised. „Bochum, Duisburg, Essen and Mülheim an der Ruhr will impress both the athletes and the travelling fans with their unique scenery and the enthusiasm for sport of the people in the region. We can all look forward to an unforgettable Games with friends,” Essen's Mayor Thomas Kufen said.

18 Sports - extensive programme

Venues in North Rhine-Westphalia

Venue outside of North Rhine-Westphalia

Title photo: © visitBerlin, Dagmar Schwelle