The current record for number of athletes at the Games was set in 2016 in Zagreb and Rijeka in Croatia, when nearly 5,500 competitors took part.

Lodz University of Technology, the main organiser of the 2022 event, has the capacity to host up to 6,000 athletes if needed.

Athletes are expected to come from more than 400 different universities from 40 countries.

Twenty sports are included on the programme - 3x3 basketball, badminton, basketball, beach handball, beach volleyball, chess, football, futsal, handball, judo, karate, kickboxing, muaythai, sport climbing, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, water polo and sitting volleyball.

"By organising EUG Lodz 2022, we are sending a clear signal to the academic community from all over Europe, but also to future students, that apart from a high level of education, you can develop your passion for sports at Lodz University of Technology," said the university's rector Professor Krzysztof Jóźwik.

"Kajetan Duszyński, a Tokyo Olympic athlete who transferred to our university from the Silesian University of Technology, may serve as an example here. 

"Today, he is a medal-winning professional athlete and a doctoral student.

"We combine science and sport, which is the main idea of the European Universities Games."

This year's edition of the EUG in Belgrade was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Serbia's capital could now instead host in 2023.

Debrecen-Miskolc in Hungary is the host of the 2024 Games, with the event normally staged every two years.

EUSA is due to pick the 2026 host in March.

"We are all looking forward to the 2022 European Universities Games in Lodz," said Adam Roczek, the President of the European University Sports Association. 

"After a break in international university sport events, the Games will not only be the first larger university sport event in Europe after the COVID-19 outbreak, but also one of the largest sports events in Poland ever." 

Lodz 2022 is due to take place between July 17 and 30.