Whether it’s playing ball in the park, skateboarding after school, or biking on the weekend: participating in informal sports is an essential part of how many children, teens, and adults spend their free time. But what exactly does the term “informal sports” mean? What role do informal sports play in Germany? We’d like to explore these and other questions as part of the “Informal Sports” trialogue on Thursday, October 1, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Leo 17.21. We’re pleased to have Dr. Christian Hübner, Sebastian Gies, Josefine Paul, and Robin Schneegaß joining us for the discussion. We look forward to receiving many registrations!

Further information and registration

In the 2026 summer series “Sommer, Sonne, Kaktus” members of the university describe their relationship with the warm season. Not in a strictly scientific way, but with a lighthearted touch. Part 4 (Sommerserie 2026: „Im Sommer wachsen Ideen“) is by sports scientist Dr. Barbara Halberschmidt, who, like all the participants, poses for the camera with the eponymous cactus from our Botanical Garden.

All parts of the summer series can be found here.

Germany will soon decide which bid to put forward for the Olympic Games. Prof. Dr. Nils Neuber (University of Münster) talks to Dein Münster about his vision for the Olympic Games in Rhine-Ruhr, with a particular focus on children and youth sport.

“The City of Münster and our state have shown themselves at their very best,” said Minister-President Hendrik Wüst, reflecting on last weekend’s NRW Day. The Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences (IfS) also took part, presenting a stand at the Sportmeile. From Friday to Sunday, the institute’s research units and Student Council offered a wide range of insights into their fields of research and teaching under the motto “Democracy and Diversity at the Intersection of Research and Practice”. “A great joint effort by the institute, the Student Council and the sport students,” said Nils Neuber and Nils Kaufmann at the end of the successful event.

On 21 August, the Society for the Study of the History of Democracy organised a panel discussion at the stadium of the former GDR first-division club FC Carl Zeiss Jena. The topic was the period of upheaval in (East) Germany between 1989 and 1994: What did football mean in the late GDR, and particularly during the period of upheaval? What was it like to be a fan? And how did fan culture in the early 1990s change you?
The panellists included Uwe Dern, co-founder of the Jena Fan Project, and Heidi Vater, a former GDR international, alongside Dr Kai Reinhart from the IfS Münster, an expert on sport in the GDR and the period of transition. The discussion was moderated by Liane von Billerbeck (Deutschlandfunk).

Yoonkyu Song received the 2026 Young Scholar Award from the International Society for the History of Physical Education and Sport (ISHPES) and delivered a highly acclaimed keynote lecture at this year’s congress in Taipei (Taiwan). In his keynote presentation, he discussed comparative aspects of the history of sport in general, and specifically in Germany and Korea. More Information

The German Association of Physical Education Teachers in North Rhine-Westphalia (DSLV NRW) has launched a campaign to strengthen school sport by raising public awareness of the topic and giving a platform to voices advocating for school sport. The idea is simple: a portrait photo and a short statement in support of school sport are published on the campaign website and on social media. Together, these contributions demonstrate the broad support behind this important cause.

We warmly congratulate Tabea Christ on winning the bronze medal at the German Championships! With a jump of 6.52 metres, she finished third behind Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo, who won silver with 6.63 metres, and Mikaelle Assani, who claimed gold with 6.67 metres.