There has been a long history of multi-sport events for students. University sports were active in the early 1900s. The first international university sports event was held in 1923 when the first World Student Games took place in Paris in May. Events continued until 1939, then there was a break due to the second World War.
The Second World War interrupted these meetings, but when peace was restored, France re-launched the World University Games.
In 1959 International Students Union and FISU for the first time combined to organize the World University Games in Turin, for the first time using the name Universiade.
In 1960 Chamonix, France hosted the first Winter University Games, though there had been other university winter games previously.
As part of a new branding system by the FISU, Universiade was officially rebranded as the FISU World University Games.
Related Pages
- FISU World University Games home page
- Hosts list of World University Games events
- Other International Multi-Events
- Sports History
- Multi-Sport Events (Games) Calendar