European Universities Games
Salerno 2026
July 18 - August 1

EUG 2026: impressive figures for the event that placed Salerno at the heart of Europe for 15 days

credits: Official team photo Ag.PICA – EUG Salerno 2026

It is time to take stock of EUG Salerno 2026, the eighth edition of the European Universities Games, organised – for the first time ever in Italy – through the outstanding joint efforts of the University of Salerno, CUS Salerno and ADISURC, with the support of FederCUSI and the Campania Region.

Beyond the excitement, enthusiasm, unforgettable memories and sporting achievements of the student-athletes who brought the fifteen-day event to life, what remains is the lasting legacy of a competition that has left a profound mark on the entire region. The legacy of EUG Salerno 2026 is not only measured in numbers: it stands as a testament to passion, commitment and collaboration.

More than 4,500 participants took part in the Italian edition of the Games, including student-athletes and technical staff, divided into 400 teams—the maximum number permitted under the competition regulations, despite more than 500 applications being received. Participants represented 31 European countries and around 200 universities.

Over the course of the Games, more than 1,400 matches and competitions were held across 13 sports disciplines. Every event was fully covered through photography and audiovisual production, resulting in nearly 50,000 photographs and video contents uploaded. A total of 300 medals were awarded across 114 podium ceremonies, alongside 100 special awards and 100 team trophies.

The University of Salerno’s technical and administrative staff made a remarkable contribution to the organisation of the Games. Around 100 staff members were directly involved in delivering the event while continuing to ensure the University’s regular activities. In addition, 730 volunteers—university students from the University of Salerno and other Italian universities—provided support in welcoming participants and managing logistics, joined by 34 international volunteers.

These figures are complemented by 230 sports officials, 500 national and international referees and judges, and a sports workforce of approximately 100 people.

Thanks to the cooperation of local municipalities and public institutions, more than 30 sports venues were used for the competitions, creating a widespread network of facilities across the University of Salerno campuses and throughout the provinces of Salerno and Avellino.

The University of Salerno invested approximately €10 million in the construction of new sports facilities and the upgrading of existing ones, complemented by an additional €13 million in funding provided by the Campania Region.

ADISURC ensured the availability of 1,750 accommodation places within the university residences at the Fisciano, Baronissi and Mariscoli campuses, while the University dining facilities served approximately 3,000 meals every day.

Transport and mobility operations represented another major organisational achievement. For the Opening Ceremony alone, held in Piazza della Libertà in Salerno, 2,100 passengers were transported simultaneously using 63 vehicles. Airport arrival and departure services handled 4,000 passengers through 80 shuttle journeys, covering a total of 8,000 kilometres, with a peak of 1,800 departing passengers managed in a single day. Regular transport services carried approximately 17,000 passengers every day between 6:30 a.m. and 1:30 a.m., operating around 400 daily services.

The media operations carried out by the EUG Salerno 2026 Press Office were equally impressive. The event generated more than 600 newspaper articles, television reports and online features, in addition to the extensive content published on the official EUG 2026 website, thanks to the involvement of more than 100 national, regional and local media outlets.

EUG Salerno 2026 also marked the relaunch of UniSound Web Radio, the official radio station of the University of Salerno, which resumed broadcasting after several years and served as the official radio of the Games. A total of 34 radio interviews featured institutional representatives, members of the Organising Committee and representatives of the various sports disciplines.

The dedicated YouTube channel broadcasting the competitions live recorded more than 443,000 views across the over 1,400 matches streamed. Viewers watched a total of 49,511 hours of content—the equivalent of more than five and a half years of continuous viewing. The channel also gained 2,887 new subscribers, generated more than 3 million impressions and achieved an average viewing duration of 6 minutes and 45 seconds.

During both the preparation phase and the Games themselves, the Press Office produced 349 video contents to document and promote the event, supporting media organisations as well as the communication agencies appointed by the University of Salerno.

Overall, the event reached an estimated potential audience of approximately 7.8 million people. During the Games, daily media mentions increased by 126%, while daily reach grew by 225% compared with the baseline monitoring conducted before the event.