# Football at the Summer World University Games

Football was an optional sport at the 1979 edition and two of the optional sports at the 1985 edition of the Universiade. Between 1987 and 2019, it was a recognized mandatory sport. The women's football competition began in the 1993 edition as an optional event. Due to the creation of the FISU University Football World Cup in 2019, the sport is no longer part of the Summer World University Games program, as of that year. With this change, the number of mandatory sports was kept at 15, since the place was occupied by badminton, which, after five editions as an optional sport, became compulsory.

## Summary (1979-2021)

18 editions for men + 11 editions for women
| Games | Year | Teams (M+W) |
| 1 | | |
| 2 | | |
| 3 | | |
| 4 | | |
| 5 | | |
| 6 | | |
| 7 | | |
| 8 | | |
| 9 | | |
| 10 | 1979 | 26+0 |
| 11 | | |
| 12 | | |
| 13 | 1985 | 12+0 |
| 14 | 1987 | 16+0 |
| 15 | | |
| 16 | 1991 | 16+0 |
| 17 | 1993 | 16+7 |
| 18 | 1995 | 16+0 |
| 19 | 1997 | 16+0 |
| 20 | 1999 | 16+0 |
| 21 | 2001 | 16+12 |
| 22 | 2003 | 16+12 |
| 23 | 2005 | 16+12 |
| 24 | 2007 | 16+16 |
| 25 | 2009 | 16+16 |
| 26 | 2011 | 16+12 |
| 27 | 2013 | 16+12 |
| 28 | 2015 | 16+15 |
| 29 | 2017 | 16+13 |
| 30 | 2019 | 12+12 |
| 31 | | |
| 32 | | |
| 33 | | |
| 34 | | |

## Men's tournaments
### Results

| Year | Host | Final | Final | Final | Third place | Third place | Third place |
| Year | Host | Gold medal | Score | Silver medal | Bronze medal | Score | Fourth place |
| 1979 details | Mexico | Mexico | 5–3 | Uruguay | Romania | 4–1 | Netherlands |
| 1985 details | Kobe | North Korea | 1–0 | Uruguay | China | 4–2 | Japan |
| 1987 details | Zagreb | Soviet Union | 5–0 | South Korea | North Korea | 3–0 | China |
| 1991 details | Sheffield | South Korea | 0–0 aet (5–4) pen | Netherlands | Great Britain | 2–1 | Uruguay |
| 1993 details | Buffalo | Czech Republic | 2–1 | South Korea | Germany | 2–1 | Great Britain |
| 1995 details | Fukuoka | Japan | 2–0 | South Korea | Russia | 3–1 | Ukraine |
| 1997 details | Palermo | Italy | 1–0 | South Korea | United States | 2–1 | Ukraine |
| 1999 details | Palma de Mallorca | Spain | 2–1 aet | Italy | Brazil | 2–2 aet (5–4) pen | Czech Republic |
| 2001 details | Beijing | Japan | 1–0 | Ukraine | South Korea | 0–0 aet (5–4) pen | China |
| 2003 details | Daegu | Japan | 3–2 | Italy | Czech Republic | 3–1 | Morocco |
| 2005 details | İzmir | Japan | 3–3 aet (3–2) pen | Italy | Morocco | 1–1 aet (4–3) pen | Brazil |
| 2007 details | Bangkok | Ukraine | 1–0 | Italy | Thailand | 1–1 aet (5–3) pen | Canada |
| 2009 details | Belgrade | Ukraine | 3–2 | Italy | Japan | 1–0 | Great Britain |
| 2011 details | Shenzhen | Japan | 2–0 | Great Britain | Brazil | 2–0 | Russia |
| 2013 details | Kazan | France | 3–2 aet | Great Britain | Japan | 3–0 | Russia |
| 2015 details | Gwangju | Italy | 3–0 | South Korea | Japan | 0–0 aet (7–6) pen | Brazil |
| 2017 details | Taipei | Japan | 1–0 | France | Mexico | 0–0 (5–3) pen | Uruguay |
| 2019 details | Naples | Japan | 4–1 | Brazil | Italy | 2–2 (4–3) pen | Russia |

### Medal table

| Team | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Fourth place |
| Japan | 7 (1995*, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2017, 2019) | | 3 (2009, 2013, 2015) | 1 (1985*) |
| Italy | 2 (1997*, 2015) | 5 (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009) | 1 (2019) | |
| Ukraine | 2 (2007, 2009) | 1 (2001) | | 2 (1995, 1997) |
| South Korea | 1 (1991) | 5 (1987, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2015*) | 1 (2001) | |
| France | 1 (2013) | 1 (2017) | | |
| Russia | 1 (1987) | | 1 (1995) | 3 (2011, 2013*, 2019) |
| Czech Republic | 1 (1993) | | 1 (2003) | 1 (1999) |
| Mexico | 1 (1979*) | | 1 (2017) | |
| North Korea | 1 (1985) | | 1 (1987) | |
| Spain | 1 (1999*) | | | |
| Great Britain | | 2 (2011, 2013) | 1 (1991*) | 2 (1993, 2009) |
| Uruguay | | 2 (1979, 1985) | | 2 (1991, 2017) |
| Brazil | | 1 (2019) | 2 (1999, 2011) | 2 (2005, 2015) |
| Netherlands | | 1 (1991) | | 1 (1979) |
| China | | | 1 (1985) | 2 (1987, 2001*) |
| Morocco | | | 1 (2005) | 1 (2003) |
| Romania | | | 1 (1979) | |
| Germany | | | 1 (1993) | |
| United States | | | 1 (1997) | |
| Thailand | | | 1 (2007*) | |
| Canada | | | | 1 (2007) |
    * = Host

### Participating nations

| Nation | 1979 | 1985 | 1987 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2001 | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | 2011 | 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 |
| Algeria | 6th | 10th | 14th | 11th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Argentina | | | 12th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8th | 12th |
| Australia | | | | 12th | 15th | 8th | | 15th | | | | | | | | | | |
| Brazil | | | 16th | | | 12th | 8th | 3rd | 6th | | 4th | 10th | 9th | 3rd | 14th | 4th | 9th | 2nd |
| Canada | 11th | | | | 16th | 16th | | | | 15th | | 4th | 12th | 9th | 7th | 13th | 10th | |
| China | | 3rd | 4th | | | | 5th | | 4th | 7th | 15th | | | 7th | 12th | 10th | | |
| Chinese Taipei | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16th | 16th | |
| Colombia | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10th | | | | |
| DR Congo ( Zaire) | 19th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cuba | 20th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Czech Republic | | | | | 1st | 5th | 10th | 4th | 5th | 3rd | 6th | 11th | 5th | 11th | | | | |
| El Salvador | 18th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| France | 9th | 11th | 13th | | | | | | 10th | | | | 7th | | 1st | 8th | 2nd | 7th |
| Germany | | 9th | 11th | 13th | 3rd | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ghana | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15th | 15th | | | | |
| Great Britain | 13th | 8th | 10th | 3rd | 4th | 15th | 12th | 9th | 7th | 8th | 13th | 8th | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | | | |
| Indonesia | 22nd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Iran | | | | 16th | | 6th | 13th | 5th | 11th | 5th | 11th | | | | | 14th | | |
| Iraq | 17th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Italy | | | | | 12th | | 1st | 2nd | 13th | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 8th | 11th | 1st | 5th | 3rd |
| Japan | 7th | 4th | 8th | 8th | 5th | 1st | 9th | 13th | 1st | 1st | 1st | 5th | 3rd | 1st | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | 1st |
| Kazakhstan | | | | | | | | | | | | 14th | | | | | | |
| Kuwait | 14th | 12th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Kyrgyzstan | | | | | | | | | | | | 15th | | | | | | |
| Lesotho | 23rd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Madagascar | 8th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Malaysia | | | | | | | | | | | | 12th | | 12th | 8th | 15th | 14th | |
| Mexico | 1st | 6th | | 15th | | | | 7th | 14th | 14th | 5th | 6th | 16th | | 9th | 11th | 3rd | 9th |
| Morocco | 12th | | | | | | 16th | 8th | 8th | 4th | 3rd | 9th | 13th | | | | | |
| Namibia | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16th | | | | |
| Netherlands | 4th | | 5th | 2nd | 8th | | 7th | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Nigeria | | | 15th | 7th | 9th | 10th | 14th | 14th | 16th | 16th | | | | | | | | |
| North Korea | | 1st | 3rd | 6th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Peru | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15th | | | |
| Republic of Ireland | | | | 14th | 13th | 13th | 6th | 12th | 12th | 13th | 12th | 13th | 14th | | 5th | 5th | 13th | 8th |
| Romania | 3rd | | | 10th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Russia ( Soviet Union) | | | 1st | 9th | 6th | 3rd | | | | | 7th | | | 4th | 4th | 9th | 6th | 4th |
| Saudi Arabia | 16th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Serbia ( Yugoslavia) | | | 9th | | | | | | | | | | 8th | | | | | |
| Slovakia | | | | | 7th | 11th | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| South Africa | | | | | 14th | 7th | 15th | | | 12th | 16th | | | | | 6th | 12th | 11th |
| South Korea | 5th | 5th | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 6th | 3rd | 9th | 14th | | 6th | 5th | | 2nd | 11th | 5th |
| Spain | 10th | | | | | | | 1st | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tanzania | 24th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Thailand | | | | | | | | | 15th | 6th | 10th | 3rd | 10th | 13th | | | | |
| Turkey | | | | | | | | | | | 9th | | | | 13th | | | |
| Ukraine | | | | | | 4th | 4th | 11th | 2nd | 11th | | 1st | 1st | 14th | 6th | 12th | 7th | 6th |
| United States | 15th | 7th | 6th | 5th | 11th | 9th | 3rd | | | | | | | | | | 15th | |
| Uruguay | 2nd | 2nd | 7th | 4th | 10th | 14th | 11th | 10th | 9th | 10th | 8th | 7th | 11th | 6th | 10th | 7th | 4th | 10th |
| Zambia | 21st | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
* — Host

## Women's tournaments
### Results

| Year | Host | Final | Final | Final | Third place | Third place | Third place |
| Year | Host | Gold medal | Score | Silver medal | Bronze medal | Score | Fourth place |
| 1993 details | Buffalo | China | 2–1 | United States | Russia | 2–0 | Chinese Taipei |
| 2001 details | Beijing | Brazil | 2–1 aet | Netherlands | South Korea | 4–3 | France |
| 2003 details | Daegu | North Korea | 3–0 | Japan | China | 2–0 | Chinese Taipei |
| 2005 details | İzmir | Brazil | 2–1 | China | Japan | 2–0 | France |
| 2007 details | Bangkok | North Korea | 1–0 | Russia | Brazil | 2–1 | Republic of Ireland |
| 2009 details | Belgrade | South Korea | 4–1 | Japan | Great Britain | 4–1 | France |
| 2011 details | Shenzhen | China | 2–1 aet | Japan | Brazil | 4–1 | France |
| 2013 details | Kazan | Great Britain | 6–2 | Mexico | Brazil | 2–1 | South Africa |
| 2015 details | Gwangju | France | 2–0 | Russia | Japan | 5–0 | Canada |
| 2017 details | Taipei | Brazil | 1–0 | Japan | Russia | 5–0 | South Africa |
| 2019 details | Naples | North Korea | 2–1 | Japan | Russia | 2–2 (4–2) (p) | Republic of Ireland |

### Medal table

| Team | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Fourth place |
| Brazil | 3 (2001, 2005, 2017) | | 3 (2007, 2011, 2013) | |
| North Korea | 3 (2003, 2007, 2019) | | | |
| China | 2 (1993, 2011*) | 1 (2005) | 1 (2003) | |
| South Korea | 1 (2009) | | 1 (2001) | |
| Great Britain | 1 (2013) | | 1 (2009) | |
| France | 1 (2015) | | | 4 (2001, 2005, 2009, 2011) |
| Japan | | 5 (2003, 2009, 2011, 2017, 2019) | 2 (2005, 2015) | |
| Russia | | 2 (2007, 2015) | 3 (2003, 2017, 2019) | |
| United States | | 1 (1993*) | | |
| Netherlands | | 1 (2001) | | |
| Mexico | | 1 (2013) | | |
| Chinese Taipei | | | | 2 (1993, 2003) |
| South Africa | | | | 1 (2013, 2017) |
| Republic of Ireland | | | | 2 (2007, 2019) |
| Canada | | | | 1 (2015) |
    * = Host

### Participating nations

| Nation | 1993 | 2001 | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | 2011 | 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 |
| Argentina | | | | | | | | | | 13th | |
| Australia | 7th | | | | | | | | | | |
| Brazil | | 1st | | 1st | 3rd | 6th | 3rd | 3rd | 6th | 1st | 11th |
| Canada | 5th | 10th | 10th | 5th | 10th | 7th | 5th | 10th | 4th | 8th | 8th |
| China | 1st | 6th | 3rd | 2nd | 8th | 8th | 1st | 11th | 5th | | 6th |
| Chinese Taipei | 4th | | 4th | 8th | 14th | | 10th | 8th | 11th | 11th | |
| Colombia | | | | | | | | | 15th | 12th | |
| Czech Republic | | | | 11th | | | | | 8th | | |
| Estonia | | | | | | 12th | 12th | 12th | | | |
| Finland | | 9th | | 7th | | | | | | | |
| France | | 4th | 6th | 4th | 5th | 4th | 4th | | 1st | | |
| Germany | | | 9th | | 13th | 10th | | | | | |
| Great Britain | | | | | 7th | 3rd | 9th | 1st | | 9th | |
| Hungary | | | | | | 13th | | | | | |
| Italy | | | | | | | | | | | 7th |
| Japan | 6th | 7th | 2nd | 3rd | 9th | 2nd | 2nd | 5th | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd |
| Mexico | | 11th | 8th | | | | 8th | 2nd | 9th | 7th | 10th |
| Netherlands | | 2nd | | | | | | | | | |
| New Zealand | | | 12th | 9th | 16th | | | | | | |
| North Korea | | 5th | 1st | | 1st | | | | | | 1st |
| Poland | | 8th | | | 11th | | | | 10th | | |
| Republic of Ireland | | | 7th | 6th | 4th | 14th | | 6th | 13th | 10th | 4th |
| Russia | 3rd | | | | 2nd | 5th | 6th | 9th | 2nd | 3rd | 3rd |
| Serbia | | | | | | 11th | | | | | |
| South Africa | | 12th | 11th | 10th | 12th | 15th | 11th | 4th | 14th | 4th | 12th |
| South Korea | | 3rd | 5th | | 6th | 1st | 7th | 7th | 7th | 6th | 5th |
| Thailand | | | | | 15th | | | | | | |
| Turkey | | | | 12th | | | | | | | |
| United States | 2nd | | | | | | | | 12th | 5th | 9th |
| Number of teams | 7 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 13 | 12 |
* — Host

## Combined medal table

Last updated after the 2019 Summer Universiade
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Japan (JPN) | 7 | 5 | 5 | 17 |
| 2 | North Korea (PRK) | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | Brazil (BRA) | 3 | 1 | 5 | 9 |
| 4 | South Korea (KOR) | 2 | 5 | 2 | 9 |
| 5 | Italy (ITA) | 2 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
| 6 | China (CHN) | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 7 | France (FRA) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | Ukraine (UKR) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 9 | Great Britain (GBR) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 10 | Mexico (MEX) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 11 | Czech Republic (CZE) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 12 | Soviet Union (URS) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Spain (ESP) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Russia (RUS) | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 15 | Netherlands (NED) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 15 | Uruguay (URU) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 17 | United States (USA) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 18 | Germany (GER) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 18 | Morocco (MAR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 18 | Romania (ROM) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 18 | Thailand (THA) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (21 entries) | Totals (21 entries) | 29 | 29 | 29 | 87 |