On 14 and 15 March 2026, Cassino will host the World University Championships. FISU (the International University Sports Federation) has selected these dates for the prestigious event, which will once again see Cassino as the undisputed protagonist of cross country running. The dates were officially announced during a seminar held in Lausanne.
The 2026 FISU World University Championships season is already well underway, with 20 organizing committees across 17 countries actively engaged in creating logos, defining competition programs, and gradually building their respective events. Seventeen of these committees, representing 15 countries, gathered at the FISU headquarters for the traditional three-day seminar. Among them was a delegation from CUS Cassino, led by President Carmine Calce and First Vice President Laurent Ottoz.
The main objective of the seminar was to ensure the maximum sharing of information between FISU and the organizing committees, as well as among the participating nations themselves. The 17 committees involved will host the following sports: Beach Sports (Portugal), Cheerleading (Switzerland), Combat Sports (Brazil), Cross Country (Italy), Finswimming (Egypt), Futsal (Poland), Handball (France), Mind Sports (China), Modern Pentathlon (Spain), Orienteering (Portugal), Padel (Spain), Rowing (Canada), Rugby Sevens (South Africa), Shooting Sport (Chinese Taipei), Sport Climbing (Thailand), Triathlon (Switzerland), and Weightlifting (Qatar).
Italy will be represented in Cross Country by the city of Cassino. The city boasts extensive experience in organizing cross country events, having already hosted the World University Cross Country Championships in 2016, the Italian National Cross Country Championships – Festa del Cross – in 2024 and 2025, as well as numerous regional and regional student championships.
“Our course,” stated President Carmine Calce, “has been thoroughly tested and has received high praise from the technical staff of FIDAL. It has also been greatly appreciated by many internationally renowned athletes who have competed here. Among them, I would like to recall Nadia Battocletti, the Italian middle-distance runner who won the silver medal in the 10,000 metres at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and became European champion in both the 5,000 and 10,000 metres at Rome 2024.”
“The meeting in Lausanne,” said Laurent Ottoz, who delivered the presentation on behalf of CUS Cassino, “was a very pleasant and enriching experience. The various presentations covered all aspects of event organization, from branding and sponsorship to website and media management, as well as protocol, accreditation, technological solutions, and medical services. Particularly interesting was the private meeting with FISU President Leonz Eder and the new Secretary General, Matthias Remund. Both showed great closeness and shared our vision. Our trip concluded on a very enjoyable note, as FISU organized a private visit for us to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.”
3 Feb
