2019 will be a year full of big multi-sports events for our continent. Apart from the Minsk European Games, the Winter Sarajevo & East Sarajevo and Summer Baku European Youth Olympic Festivals, also the Universiade, the World Student Games organised for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), will involve Europe with 2 editions: the Winter Universiade in Krasnoyarsk, Russian Federation, between 2–12 March 2019 and the Summer Universiade in Naples, Italy between 3-14 July 2019.

As for the 2019 Winter Universiade, the Torch was officially unveiled at a special ceremony at the Variant 999 Enterprise, in Krasnoyarsk, Russia on 27 July. This Torch, like the Torch of the Olympics in Sochi, is the work of engineers, designers and manufacturers of the Russian company. On the occasion, potential participants for the Relay were shown how the Torch burns in various different weather conditions including rain and strong winds. In September, the Relay race of the Student Games will start, with a total 650 Torchbearers taking part.

Moreover, a total of 600 volunteers tested a complex of hostels which will become the Athletes’ Village at the Krasnoyarsk 2019 Winter Universiade on 31 July 2018. This included receiving accreditation and uniforms, before moving into the apartments to test the new facilities. Organisers said the apartment rooms are equipped with necessary items, including beds, cupboards, desks, kitchen furniture and bathrooms in the rooms.

Whereas, as for the 2019 Summer Universiade, an important meeting took place in Rome on 12 July to decide on key issues, with less than a year to go to the Summer Unviersiade. International University Sport Federation (FISU), represented by Secretary General Eric Saintrond and President Oleg Matytsin, attended the meeting. They thanked all the parties for their positive approach to delivering the Napoli 2019 Summer Universiade and confirmed an agreement was reached for the Naples 2019 Athletes’ Village, with the agreed solution combining cruise ships, temporary housing and existing accommodation in a way that shows flexibility and innovation.

Thanks to this important step towards a successful Napoli 2019, 10.000 student athletes all around the world can continue training in confidence that high-quality competitions for the 14 sports on the programme will be in place on time.

“There is still much to be done to prepare, but FISU is sure Napoli 2019 will be an event that is worthy of the Universiade’s 60th anniversary”, said FISU President.

The city has had limited time to prepare as they took over the hosting rights from Brasilia, which withdrew as the Universiade venue in January 2015.