The European Universities Championship in Swimming and Water Polo, to be held in summer 2027, was officially presented on 19 October 2026 at the “Let’s Connect Through Heritage” Cultural and Tourist Visitor Centre in Rijeka, located on the ground floor of the Filodrammatica building on the Korzo.
The championship will take place from 22 to 28 August 2027 at the Kantrida swimming pools, with a programme that includes swimming as well as men’s and women’s water polo. The organizers expect more than 400 participants and delegations from more than 15 European countries, over 2,500 overnight stays, and the involvement of more than 70 volunteers. The project is led by the Croatian Academic Sports Association (HASS) in cooperation with the University of Rijeka, the City of Rijeka, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the Student Centre Rijeka and the company Rijeka sport, while the Croatian Swimming Federation and the Croatian Water Polo Federation will provide expert support for the sporting side.
The project was presented by the Prefect of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Ivica Lukanović, Mayor of Rijeka Prof. Iva Rinčić, PhD, Rector of the University of Rijeka Prof. Goran Hauser, PhD, President of the Management Board of Erste Bank in Croatia Christoph Schoefboeck, PhD, Assistant Rector for Sport and President of the European University Sports Association (EUSA) Haris Pavletić, MD, HASS President Nikola Vincetić, and Director of the Student Centre Rijeka Goran Manestar.
University sport returns to Rijeka
Rector Hauser stressed that the University wants to give sport and a healthy lifestyle a considerably greater role, and that the return of major university competitions is an important step in that direction. He recalled that university sport is coming back to Rijeka ten years after the European Universities Games Rijeka–Zagreb 2016, and he thanked the organizers and partners.
Mayor Rinčić said that Rijeka lives and breathes sport and the university spirit, and that the championship is an excellent opportunity to promote the city. She added that the City supports a wide variety of sporting events and expects top results from local athletes.
Prefect Lukanović emphasized that, although Rijeka is the European Region of Sport in 2026, sport will continue to be strongly encouraged after the title expires. Sport, he said, is a public need, and children and young people should be motivated to stay in it for as long as possible.
Erste Bank President Schoefboeck stated that the bank follows and sponsors numerous sporting events and will therefore get involved in this project as well. He is particularly pleased to support academic sport, which is still underdeveloped in Croatia, and he sees this as part of socially responsible business, through which the bank “gives back” to the community a part of what it receives from it.
Organization and infrastructure
HASS President Vincetić repeated the key details about the championship: in August 2027, Kantrida will once again host a major international competition, bringing together student athletes, coaches, delegation members and sports officials from across Europe.
Pavletić recalled that Rijeka has long been organizing international sporting events. Kantrida hosted the European Short Course Swimming Championships in 2008, the Water Polo Euroleague Final Four in 2009, and the European Junior Water Polo Championships in 2011. Particularly important are the 2016 European Universities Games, when swimming, water polo and para swimming competitions were held at Kantrida. This experience, together with the existing infrastructure and organizational capacity, provides a solid foundation for the preparations. The swimming events will take place in the indoor Olympic-size pool and water polo in a separate outdoor Olympic-size pool, allowing the programme to run simultaneously at a single location.
Director Manestar explained that athletes and delegation members will be accommodated at the Trsat Student Campus and will eat at the Kampus Restaurant, which means the Student Centre will play an important role in delivery. Overnight stays will also cover referees, sports officials, representatives of international organizations and some of the volunteers, and numerous local service providers will be involved in the organization.
Students, young people and city promotion
The championship is expected to contribute to promoting Rijeka as a university and sporting hub, strengthening international cooperation, and involving students and the local community. The volunteer programme will include more than 70 young people, who will gain experience on an international event through sporting, organizational, logistical and media tasks. Cooperation is also planned with Rijeka schools and with swimming and water polo clubs, so that children and young people can get a close look at university sport and follow the competitions. Alongside the sporting programme, participants will be introduced to Rijeka, the Kvarner region and local traditions through accompanying cultural and social events, and online broadcasts will make it possible to follow the championship outside Croatia as well.