PRG at the FISU World University Games 2025

From July 16 to 27, 2025, the Rhine Ruhr region hosted the FISU World University Games – the world’s second-largest multisport event after the Olympic Games. Around 10,000 athletes and officials from over 170 countries competed in 18 sports at 23 venues spread across Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Essen, Bochum, Mülheim an der Ruhr, and Berlin.

At the heart of it all: PRG as the official technical service provider. From the spectacular Opening Ceremony in Duisburg to archery at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zeche Zollverein, basketball in Essen, and festival stages with concerts in Bochum, Essen, and Duisburg – PRG delivered lighting, audio, video, and rigging technology. All from a single source and at the highest level.

“We provide event technology for all the sports venues – lighting, sound, rigging, and video for many of the venues, including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies,” says Daniel Schmidt, PRG Project Manager.

The technical implementation of the Opening Ceremony at the stadium posed a special challenge. PRG was responsible for the entire LED setup, including a curved, architecturally ambitious stage and six LED towers symbolizing the iconic chimneys of the Ruhr area. These towers displayed live images and graphic effects – serving as a stunning backdrop for one of the emotional highlights: the torch-lighting ceremony.

David Klemperer, Director Sports & Special Events at PRG, highlights the organizational and content-related complexity: “The Games are held at six locations – five in the Ruhr region and one in Berlin. We are handling 18 sports across 23 venues – quite an undertaking, even for PRG.” What was the biggest challenge? “It’s definitely the complexity – so many different venues with their own technical and sport-specific requirements. Our job is to unify them into a cohesive production.”

PRG doesn’t just bring technical know-how – but also an in-depth understanding of sports. “Our expertise spans not only all technical disciplines but also many different sports – from basketball to rhythmic gymnastics,” says Klemperer. “We also work closely with broadcast teams. When it comes to broadcast lighting, for instance, it’s crucial to control shadows and avoid dazzling athletes. That’s the key: bringing together sport and media.”

The organizer echoes the praise. Niklas Böger, Managing Director of Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Games GmbH, emphasizes:

“For such a large-scale event with so many venues, we need a tech partner who can handle that complexity. With PRG, we found a partner who delivered on point – everything was ready when the delegations arrived, when the field of play was activated.

Technology plays a huge role – after all, this is the second-largest sporting event worldwide. Athletes come here to earn points and go for gold at the highest level. So the technology must deliver – not only for the competition but for the fans and international audiences as well. PRG brought all of this together – well-organized from planning to execution. We’re thrilled with the positive feedback from all sides.”

Impressive Numbers

• Over 350 crew members worked more than 22,000 hours on site.
• 770 tons – about 3,200 m³ of equipment – were moved. That’s more than an Olympic swimming pool.
• 13 kilometers of truss – the length of 122 football fields.
• 1,500 motors hung in the ceilings.
• 4,100 lighting fixtures perfectly staged the athletes.
• 1,400 m² of LED screens captured every highlight.
• Loudspeakers delivered the sound.

The Rhine Ruhr Games 2025 impressively demonstrate how modern event technology unites sport, show, and media production at a world-class level. A massive thank-you to all colleagues and crews across the venues in the region and Berlin who gave their all every single day!