In Turin, State Secretary Juliane Seifert expressed her appreciation to Team StuDi, the team of the German University Sports Federation (adh), which will represent the Federal Republic at the 32nd FISU Winter World University Games (WUG) in 2025, and wished the 54 German athletes and all members of the German delegation the best of success for the sporting competitions.

First-ever inclusive Winter Games

For the first time, para-athletic events will be integrated in the programme of the 32nd FISU Winter World University Games, turning them into an inclusive event. Thanks to cooperation between the German University Sports Federation and the National Paralympic Committee Germany (DBS) and with additional funding from the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI), Germany fields an inclusive team of student athletes in 11 out of 13 sport disciplines.

The German para-athletes will compete with their international competitors in the para-alpine and para-cross-country-skiing contests. The integration of para-sport competitions is considered a very important step towards greater inclusion in international university sport. 

In addition, German athletes without disabilities will compete for medals in the following disciplines: Biathlon, curling, figure skating, freestyle ski, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ski mountaineering, ski orienteering and snowboard.

Looking ahead to the 2025 Summer World University Games in the Rhine-Ruhr region

State Secretary Juliane Seifert used her two-day stay in Turin to get a first-hand impression of this multi-sport event. From 16 to 27 July 2025, more than 8,500 athletes and officials from more than 150 countries will participate in the 2025 FISU World University Games in the Rhine-Ruhr region, competing in 18 summer sport disciplines. One year after the UEFA men’s European Football Championship, this will be another good opportunity for Germany to show how to stage innovative and sustainable sporting events.

The organisers of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games are committed to celebrating a festival of sports, science and culture in North Rhine-Westphalia, Berlin and Germany. In the Rhine-Ruhr region, events will be spread across 23 venues in the cities of Bochum, Duisburg, Essen, Hagen and Mülheim an der Ruhr, while Berlin will host the swimming, diving and volleyball competitions. The opening ceremony for the Games will take place  in Duisburg’s Schauinsland-Reisen-Arena on 16 July 2025 with an expected audience of 28,000. On 27 July 2025, up to 25,000 spectators will be able to attend the closing ceremony of the event at Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord.

Germany will participate in the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games with an inclusive national team of more than 500 student athletes of the German University Sports Federation (Team StuDi). They not only strive for athletic excellence, but are also thrilled to be ambassadors of international understanding, peaceful co-existence and intercultural exchange.