The passion for the Games remains strong in Torino. It all began here in 1959, when Primo Nebiolo conceived the Universiade. The first Summer Universiade took place in Torino, the capital of Piemonte, from August 27th to September 7th, leveraging facilities built for the centenary celebration of Italy’s unification two years later in 1961.
Nebiolo held numerous significant roles throughout his career, including as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), president of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), and president of the Italian Athletics Federation (FIDAL). His remarkable journey as a sports leader began in 1946 with the founding of CUS Torino (Turin University Sports Center), Italy’s largest multi-sport organization. He served as its president until his passing on November 7, 1999. Since 2000, Riccardo D’Elicio has continued in this role.
The first Universiade in Torino was organized by the Italian University Sports Association (CUSI), bringing together 1,407 student-athletes from 43 countries across all continents. The event marked a hopeful step toward international reconciliation.
A flag featuring a “U” surrounded by five stars in the colors of the five continents (blue, yellow, black, green, and red) was introduced, alongside the traditional academic song "Gaudeamus Igitur," which became the official hymn of the Universiade. This song celebrates youth and the freedom to live each day fully, uniting all students under one message: "Long live youth, long live universities and students." No national anthems were played during medal ceremonies at the first Universiade, a tradition that remains today.
The Torino 1959 Summer Universiade was a resounding success for the local Organizing Committee, led by Dr. Nebiolo—the visionary who would transform the future of the University Sports Movement and help propel it toward global recognition.
Since 1959, Torino has been a symbolic home for university sports and the permanent location of the Universiade brazier, much like Olympia with the Olympic Games. Every city that hosts the Summer or Winter Universiade lights its "Flame of Knowledge" at the Rectorate of the University of Torino.
This flame’s journey begins in Torino, the birthplace of the University Games, before traveling worldwide in the hands of torchbearers to its final destination in the host city chosen by FISU. Each host nation creates its unique torch, lit in Torino, to showcase to the world.
The Piemonte region has hosted the FISU Summer Games twice (Torino 1959 and Torino 1970) and is set to host the Winter Games for the third time following Sestriere 1966 and Torino 2007. The last Universiade in Piemonte was held a year after the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Torino 2006), while this time it will precede the Milano-Cortina 2026 Games.
The inaugural Winter Universiade took place in Chamonix, France, from February 28th to March 8th, 1960. Sixteen nations participated, with 220 athletes competing in five sports: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, ski jumping, and Nordic combined.
Since its inception, the Universiade has continued to grow in participation. Starting with 1,407 participants in Torino in 1959, the event hosted 6,757 participants from more than 165 countries in Beijing in 2001, and 6,643 participants from 174 countries in Daegu in 2003.
The highest participation was recorded at the Kazan 2013 Summer Universiade, with 11,759 athletes from 159 countries. The Winter Universiades began with 220 athletes from 16 countries in Chamonix in 1960 and saw a record attendance of over 3,000 athletes from 58 nations in Krasnoyarsk in 2019.
Italy has hosted the Universiade more times than any other country, with a total of twelve editions (five Summer and seven Winter). The most recent Summer Universiade was the XXX edition in Napoli in 2019, while the last Winter Universiade in Italy took place in Trentino in 2013.
The upcoming 2025 Winter Universiade in Torino will mark Italy’s twelfth time hosting, as the event is now officially called the World University Games Winter (XXXII edition).
On September 20, 2023, a delegation from Lake Placid visited Torino to light the Flame of Knowledge for the last Winter World University Games. The XXXI edition took place in New York State from January 12 to 22, 2023.
Lake Placid hosted the FISU Games for the second time in its history, following the 1972 edition. During the Closing Ceremony on January 22, Torino received the FISU flag, marking the beginning of preparations for the XXXII edition, set to take place from January 13 to 23, 2025.
On this date, the ROAD TO2025 officially began.
