A prime example of repurposing an existing venue, Messe Essen is throwing open its many doors to the world’s best student-athletes in artistic gymnastics, fencing, judo, rhythmic gymnastics, table tennis and taekwondo during the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Games. Opened in 1913, the Messe has evolved continuously over the decades, was completely rebuilt in the 1950s, and has undergone significant redevelopment in recent years to give a total exhibition area of 110,000 square metres. And so in a space typically occupied by trade fairs such as the German Film & Comic Con, the Essen Motor Show and the world’s largest board game show, comes an equally enticing mix of world class university sports.
