The curtain has fallen on the 2025-2026 sports season of the Ivorian Office of School and University Sports (OISSU). Gathered at the Laurent Pokou Stadium in San Pedro on Friday, May 29, 2026, university sports stakeholders were invited by the Minister of Sports, Silas Adjé Metch, to take a new step towards perfection.

A call for perfection and transparency

At the opening of the national university finals, Minister Silas Metch reviewed the season and outlined future prospects. For him, the end of the competitions must be synonymous with continuous improvement.

"I urge you all to strive for perfection in order to create attractive competitions free from any form of dispute," he emphasized, while warmly congratulating the Director General of OISSU, Nomel Méless, and his teams for the work accomplished.

University sport, a breeding ground for international influence

Beyond mere entertainment, the minister reiterated Côte d'Ivoire's international ambitions. Universities must become true incubators of champions. The objective is clear: to identify, select, and prepare university athletes so they can proudly represent the nation on the world stage.

A powerful lever for education and cohesion

Silas Metch also emphasized the social and educational virtues of sport:

1. Personal development: A true training school for the personality of students, in line with the vision of a "Greater Ivory Coast" of President Alassane Ouattara.
2. Social integration: A way for young people to forge lasting friendships and move away from vice and violence.
3. Recognition: The minister praised the commitment of school principals, supervisors, referees, coaches and supporters, as well as the crucial support of the administrative authorities of San Pedro, including the regional prefect.

OISSU's commitment: Combining academic rigor and sporting passion

The Director General of OISSU, Nomel Méless, expressed his deep gratitude to the executive couple — President Alassane Ouattara and Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé — as well as to the supervising minister for their unwavering support.

According to him, the university is the cradle of excellence, and sport is its perfect reflection. The quality of the competitors proves that academic rigor and athletic performance are inseparable .

"University sport builds character, teaches resilience, develops a sense of openness," reminded Nomel Méless, inviting students to experience these three days of competition with fervor and fair play.

Key figures for the 2026 edition

1. 13 participating universities and higher education institutions.
2. 358 athletes mobilized.
3. Several regions of Ivory Coast are represented.