Preparations for the seventh edition of the West African University Games (WAUG) are officially underway following the launch of the 2025 Games in Accra and the inauguration of the Local Organising Committee (LOC). 

The University of Ghana will host the event from October 1-15, 2025, bringing together over 2,500 student-athletes, coaches, and officials from across the sub-region.

The two-week sporting festival will see competitors from countries including Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Liberia, Mali and Guinea vie for honours in disciplines such as football, athletics, basketball, tennis, volleyball, judo, handball, and badminton. Organisers expect the event to become a landmark edition in the Games' history, as it returns to the University of Ghana for the first time since 2008.

Speaking at the launch today in Accra, Professor George Akanlig-Pare, representative of the Vice Chancellor at the Ghana University Sports Association (GUSA), expressed the institution’s readiness to host a world-class event. He stated that the University of Ghana’s track record in sports development and administration, combined with its upgraded facilities, positioned it well to deliver an unforgettable Games.

Professor Akanlig-Pare highlighted the broader significance of the tournament, stressing that sport was a powerful tool for nurturing youth development, strengthening inter-nation ties, and fostering a spirit of unity among student athletes. He called on all stakeholders to rally behind the initiative and ensure its resounding success.

The Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee and Registrar of the University of Ghana, Mrs Kwantsua Emelia Agyei-Mensah, outlined the LOC’s vision to deliver not only a seamless tournament but one that leaves a lasting legacy. She described the launch as the beginning of a transformative journey that promotes sporting excellence and enhances intercultural dialogue and regional cooperation.

Mrs Agyei-Mensah noted that the 2025 WAUG would serve as a platform to reinforce essential values both in the classroom and on the field—discipline, resilience, teamwork and excellence—while celebrating the unifying power of sport. She extended a warm invitation to universities across the region, assuring them of a vibrant and inclusive experience at the premier university of Ghana.

She also praised committee members who have already begun preparations and reaffirmed the institution’s full commitment to the event. The LOC, she added, was confident in its ability to deliver an edition of the Games that would inspire the next generation of West African athletes.

The President of the West African University Sports Federation, Ibrahim Shaibu Tanko, echoed these sentiments. He urged student athletes to embrace the Games’ theme, “Unite, Compete and Inspire: Elevating West African University Sports,” as a guiding principle in their pursuit of sporting excellence and social transformation. Mr Tanko pledged the Federation’s full support to the LOC and appealed to all relevant stakeholders to contribute towards the successful hosting of the Games.