Wuhan Sports University was founded in 1953, as one of the first full-time independent higher education institutions of sports established in the early days after the founding of the People's Republic of China. Now, it is jointly managed by the General Administration of Sport of China and the Hubei Provincial People’s Government.

The university covers eight disciplines, including education, literature, economics, management, science, engineering, art and medicine. It possesses 25 undergraduate programs, among which there are 7 national first-class undergraduate majors and 6 provincial first-class undergraduate majors. Since 1960, the university has been offering postgraduate education and is one of the leading institutions in China for cultivating postgraduates in sports. Moreover, it has a post-doctoral research station in physical education. The university takes great pride in its professional faculty, with 57.8% of full-time teachers and coaches with senior titles. In addition, the university has 10 provincial and ministerial key laboratories, key research bases of humanities and social sciences, and research and development centers for engineering and technology, with quite fruitful achievements. The Journal of Wuhan Sports University is funded by the National Social Science Foundation, and selected by the Ministry of Education for the Construction of Famous Columns. This journal is also included in Four Core Journal Indexes in China, and selected as Top 100 Science and Technology Journals of Chinese Universities.

Wuhan Sports University has distinct characteristics in competitive sports. It offers a series of water sports events, such as rowing, kayaking, canoeing, fin swimming, sailing, windsurfing, surfing and motor boating; it also has heavy athletic events including  wrestling, boxing, taekwondo and karate; and track and field events, as well as gymnastics. The university is famous for cultivating numerous elite athletes and coaches who have won national honors and medals. Its athletes have won a total of 156 gold medals, 41 silver medals and 44 bronze medals in the World Competition Series (Olympic Games, World Championships and World Cup). The university has also been designated as a national key high-level reserve talent base for sports by the General Administration of Sport of China.

The university has attached great importance to international cooperation and established close cooperative relations with more than 100 universities, sports education and research institutions and world-renowned sports organizations from 37 countries and regions. In 2014, with the support of the Chinese government scholarship, the university was approved to enroll international students. In addition, the university has long been carrying out cooperation and exchanges with sports bureaus, sports associations and enterprises at all levels across the country in the fields of scientific and technological services, sports reserve talent cultivation and sports industry.