The opening of the FISU 2023 World University Games in Lake Placid will take place in just one week. This will be the second time Lake Placid and upstate New York in the United States have hosted the world’s best college athletes, the first being in 1972.

The energy can be felt in the streets of Lake Placid as athletes, coaches, officials and organizers continue to arrive in preparation for the opening of the FISU Games. While the women’s and men’s ice hockey and snowboard cross competitions will begin ahead of the opening ceremony, the official start of the FISU Games 2023 in Lake Placid will take place on the evening of January 12. The Olympic Center’s Herb Brooks Arena will host festivities that will include performances and presentations that honor and celebrate New York City’s rich sporting history while highlighting the special season that is winter.

After lighting the LED-powered cauldron, full competition in twelve sports will begin. Alpine skiing, freestyle and freeski, snowboarding, biathlon, cross country skiing, nordic combined, ski jumping, curling, figure skating, ice hockey, short track speed skating and speed skating competitions will take place in and around Lake Placid, all the way to south in Mount Gore, and in the north in Canton and Potsdam.

More than 1,600 athletes from 45 countries and regions will compete in 86 medal events over 11 competition days. The FISU World Conference will be held in conjunction with the FISU Games, focusing on the theme of saving winter, as well as other educational and cultural activities.

The countdown continues, and in a week’s time, a bright, global spotlight will focus on Lake Placid and the North Country. The beginning can’t come soon enough!

Around the world and at the FISU 2023 World University Games in Lake Placid, the competition can be watched live FISU.tv. In the United States, coverage will be available on ESPNU, ESPN and broadcast live ESPN+and in Canada, subject to final schedule, TSN will have coverage on its broadcasting and streaming platforms.

Written by Doug McLean

We would like to thank the official partner of FISU, Qiaodan Ltd., which has been providing outstanding uniforms to the FISU family and international technical officials since 2015. Qiaodan is a valuable partner for FISU as it continues to provide support during postponing events due to the global pandemic and recently extended its partnership with FISU to and including 2025.