FIS backs plan for World Championships in three years of every Olympic cycle

The FIS Council has agreed in principle to hold senior World Championships in three years in each four-year Olympic cycle from 2032. The proposed schedule would retain the existing odd-year championships and add editions in even-numbered years without a Winter Olympics.

That would raise the frequency from two World Championship years per Olympic cycle to three, with the Winter Olympics occupying the fourth year. FIS is also willing to examine whether the expanded schedule could begin with an additional edition in 2028.

The Council made the decision during a session and strategic workshop in Thun, Switzerland, on 2 and 3 September. It approves the broad concept rather than a completed competition schedule, with no disciplines, formats or host venues yet confirmed.

“Upon receiving a detailed assessment, the Council is also open to exploring the viability of increasing the frequency of World Championships with an edition already in 2028,” FIS said after the meeting.

Calendar and commercial details remain unresolved

A preliminary feasibility study considered the sporting value of more frequent championships alongside calendar demands and commercial potential. The proposal will now return to FIS Management and the Media Rights Executive Board, which will work on a draft long-term calendar for the Council.

A detailed assessment and draft regulations will also be required before final approval. The Council is expected to reconsider the plan after the FIS Autumn Meetings, although no date for that decision has been announced.

The proposal would alter a system used for most senior FIS disciplines since the mid-1980s. Alpine and Nordic World Championships moved to odd-numbered years from 1985, after FIS separated them fully from the Winter Olympics. Freestyle and snowboard later adopted comparable biennial schedules, while Ski Flying continues to use its own even-year cycle.

Existing championships in 2027 and 2029 are unaffected. Crans-Montana will host the 2027 Alpine World Championships before Narvik takes the event in 2029, while Falun and Lahti have the corresponding Nordic editions. Montafon and Zhangjiakou will stage the combined Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski championships in those years.

FIS approved broader principles for its long-term World Cup calendar at the same meeting, including regional event clusters and a scoring system intended to measure each competition’s impact. That calendar work will follow the same management and media-rights process before returning to the Council after the Autumn Meetings.