European Universities Games
Salerno 2026
July 18 - August 1

EUG 2026: The wait is over. Tomorrow, the Futsal pitch lights up!

The moment we have all been waiting for is finally here. Tomorrow, Friday, July 17, the spotlight will officially turn on the Futsal tournament! Kick-off is scheduled for 11:00 and the pitches are ready for action. If you are a football fan, get ready to follow the matches on the courts of Palumbo, Pala Capriglia, Pala Coscioni, and Pala Del Mauro.

Futsal will be the opening discipline of this summer and will keep everyone on the edge of their seat until July 24. The University of Seville (reigning men’s champion after their triumph in Debrecen in 2024) and the University of Nantes (queen of the women’s tournament) are ready to defend their titles, but the competition this year is fiercer than ever.

Squadra femminile Futsal CUS Salerno

With as many as 20 men’s teams for the 11-a-side tournament and 16 women’s teams for the 7-a-side tournament, Futsal stands out as one of the most massive and exciting tournaments on the programme. Nando Mainenti, technical delegate of CUS Salerno, commented on the imminent debut:

“Futsal will, in fact, be the largest tournament, and for this reason, the matches will begin one day before the opening ceremony. We expect a competition of the highest level, with very well-equipped teams and great technical quality. We will have sides with a great tradition, such as those from Spain and Portugal, nations that have always been protagonists in this discipline, but we must also pay attention to universities from Northern Europe, which have been growing considerably in recent years and are investing more and more in university sport. It will therefore be an extremely competitive tournament, with teams prepared from every point of view and a certainly high level of play.”

A non-stop schedule between Salerno and Avellino

Squadra maschile Calcio CUS Salerno

The pace here is expected to be very intense. Four sports facilities located across three different municipalities will host a packed calendar of daily matches. As Mainenti points out:

“It will certainly be an event of great significance, characterised by very intense rhythms. The Futsal matches will be played in Salerno, at the PalaPalumbo and PalaCapriglia, at the PalaDelMauro in Avellino, and at the PalaCoscioni in Nocera Inferiore. The calendar includes matches every day and at different times. We therefore expect a very intense, spectacular, and compelling Futsal tournament, capable of offering a high technical level and great balance among the participating teams.”

7-a-side football: all-women’s

Squadra femminile calcio CUS Salerno

Do not worry; the week from July 26 to August 1 will be entirely dedicated to football. We recall the reigning champions of Debrecen 2024: the University of Würzburg for the men and the University of Bordeaux for the women. Among the most anticipated protagonists is the women’s selection of the University of Salerno, which promises fireworks and spectacular, tactical 7-a-side football. The words of the technical delegate spark enthusiasm:

“Regarding the women’s tournament, we have managed to set up a squad that we believe is competitive and can certainly play its part. In the group, there are some high-level girls, including the captain of Salernitana Women, Antonella Apicella, a Sports Science student, together with other players like Fusco. We therefore have a solid base of athletes already used to competing at high levels. The formula for the women’s tournament will be different from traditional 11-a-side football: teams will be made up of seven elements, with specific technical and tactical characteristics.”

The women’s tournament will have the Penta pitch in Fisciano as its “headquarter” (modified ad hoc with a dividing stand to host two matches simultaneously!), while the men’s teams will compete between Baronissi, Montoro, Sarno, and Roccapiemonte. A true map of sport that will also have to contend with an invisible opponent: the weather.

“We hope that everything goes in the best possible way, even if the calendar includes some matches at difficult times, such as 11:00 or 16:00, when the high temperatures could represent a factor to take into consideration.”

University sport as a mindset

Squadra maschile Futsal CUS Salerno

The level we will see on the pitch in the coming weeks is a reflection of a European movement in strong growth, where the status of “student-athlete” is a real source of pride. Mainenti concludes with a reflection on the sporting culture of our European colleagues:

“Many European universities prepare for this appointment with great attention, inserting it into a consolidated sporting path. In fact, there is a much more deep-rooted culture of university sport, especially in Northern and Eastern Europe, where competitive activity represents an added value in the student’s educational path. For this reason, we will be facing very organised teams, prepared from a technical, tactical, and physical point of view. In particular, the universities that occupy the top positions in the European ranking will start among the favourites and will guarantee a truly very high level of play.”

The countdown is over. Tomorrow we take the field!