FISU Executive Committee attributes 2026 FISU Championships to host cities worldwide

The FISU Executive Committee, under the leadership of Secretary General and CEO Matthias Remund, has officially assigned the host cities for the 2026 FISU World University Championships. The announcement took place during a key meeting on 12 January 2025, marking an important milestone in the preparation for these university sports competitions.

The following cities and countries have been awarded the rights to host the 2026 FISU Championships across various sports disciplines:

Beach Sports – Figueira da Foz, Portugal

Canoe – Székesfehérvár, Hungary

Cheerleading – Gothenburg, Sweden

Combat Sports – Brasilia, Brazil

Cross Country – Cassino, Italy

Cycling – Zhangjiakou, China

Finswimming – Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

Futsal – Warsaw, Poland

Golf – Merida, Mexico

Handball – Pessac, France

Mind Sports – Liaocheng, China

Modern Pentathlon – Madrid, Spain

Orienteering – Vila Real, Portugal

Padel – Málaga, Spain

*Powerlifting – Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Rowing – London, Canada

Rugby 7s – Stellenbosch, South Africa

*Sailing – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Shooting Sport – New Taipei, Chinese Taipei

*Speed Skating – Baselga de Pinè, Italy

Sport Climbing – Bangkok, Thailand

*Squash – Mumbai, India

Triathlon – Nyon, Switzerland

Weightlifting – Doha, Qatar

* These Championships are currently still pending final approval.

The allocation of these championships underscores FISU’s commitment to promoting university sports on a global scale, ensuring high-level competition across diverse sporting disciplines. With a mix of traditional and emerging sports, the 2026 FISU World University Championships promise to showcase the talents of student-athletes from around the world.

Padel, one of the fastest-growing racket sports in the world, has been newly recognised by FISU and will make its FISU Championship debut in 2026 in Málaga, Spain. This marks an important milestone for the sport, providing university athletes an opportunity to compete on an international stage. The inclusion of padel reflects FISU’s dedication to diversifying its sports program and embracing emerging trends in university sports.

FISU continues to work closely with local organising committees to guarantee top-quality events that uphold the values of university sports and international cooperation. Further updates, including final confirmations and event schedules, will be announced in due course.

Stay tuned for more details on the road to the 2026 FISU Championships!