Top US basketball players to light up Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games

Welcome to the year of the largest global multi-sport event for students! In six months, the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games will commence in Bochum, Duisburg, Essen Mülheim an der Ruhr, Hagen, and Berlin. As we kick-off the new year, the sports festival is taking further shape: with the official Torch now lit, interest from delegations worldwide is booming, as evidenced by the impressive rosters in team sports.

In an early sign of how high the bar will be set, USA has committed to every team sport at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Games, including men's and women's basketball. This exciting news means sports fans in the Ruhr area can hope to see the next Larry Bird, Charles Barkley or Aerial Powers; USA Hall of Famers who all competed at a FISU World University Games before making their names in the NBA or WNBA.

Popular sports such as volleyball and beach volleyball also promise a diverse, international, and notably high-quality field with participants expected from Australia, Japan, and Brazil, among others. And in team competitions across sports like badminton and table tennis, all of the traditional ‘powerhouse’ nations from Southeast Asia nations are coming.

The Organising Committee is highly satisfied with the feedback from participating delegations: registration numbers are high, and the ambitious goal of attracting around 8,500 student athletes and officials from 150 countries will surely be met. Exciting news also comes from 3x3 wheelchair basketball, a new discipline and the first Para Sport to appear at the FISU World University Games Summer. The entry list has been expanded from six to eight nations for both men and women, and will notably include a women's team from Saudi Arabia.

The feedback from closer to ‘home’ is equally promising: a strong German contingent is sure to do the host nation proud. The General German University Sports Federation (adh) will field a delegation of around 500 athletes and officials—a record! Similar-sized delegations are expected from Japan, People’s Republic of China, Republic of Korea, and USA.

The FISU Games Flame lit: official Torch ignited in Torino

The offical Torch of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Games was ignited by FISU President Leonz Eder at the Torino 2025 FISU Games Winter on 14 January. Next, the FISU Games Flame Relay will represent the spirit of the Games and make stops at several locations in Germany.

Niklas Börger, CEO of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games, is upbeat regarding the current developments: "With the lit torch and fantastic response from international delegations, we are rapidly approaching the largest global multi-sport event for students. We are extremely proud of the commitments from major nations promising international excellence and of expanding the participant field in the 3x3 wheelchair basketball competition—a significant step towards greater inclusion in university and elite sports. We can already guarantee high quality sport in the summer”!

Anticipation: Essen as a hub of competition

Essen plays a special role in the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games as the host city: with nine out of 18 sports and as a central location for accreditation and the Main Press Centre, the city is a big focal point of the FISU Games. Whether at the Messe Essen, Grugahalle, ETUF, or against the breathtaking industrial backdrop of the World Heritage Site Zeche Zollverein—the preparations for the mega-event are in full swing.

"The Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games are a great honour and opportunity for the city of Essen,” Thomas Kufen, Mayor of the city of Essen, says. “The Olympic games for students are more than just a major sporting event; they are a showcase for our city and our region. Essen has proven itself as a good host in the past. Our sports facilities are modern and meet international standards—something that both student athletes and spectators can look forward to”.