Biathlon World Cup

Publication date: 17 Jan 2023

About the Biathlon World Cup

The Biathlon World Cup is an annual series of major biathlon events for men and women, managed by the International Biathlon Union (IBU). There are several types of biathlon competitions:

Individual;
Sprint;
Pursuit;
Mass start;
Relay;
Mixed relay;
Single mixed relay.

The men’s World Cup has been held for the first time since the 1978-79 season and the women’s World Cup nine years later.

There are nine stages in a World Cup season, which usually lasts from November to March.

The ranking is based on the results of the disciplines and the total points. The overall leader of the competition has a yellow jersey while the leader of a discipline has a red jersey.

Official website of the IBU

2025-26 BMW IBU World Cup

The 2025/2026 Biathlon World Cup season promises to be one of the most exciting in the history of this sport. The competition series under the auspices of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) will cover the world’s key biathlon arenas and will be part of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina.

2025/2026 Biathlon World Cup Schedule

According to the official IBU calendar, the 2025/2026 season includes the following stages:

November 29 – December 7, 2025: Östersund, Sweden
December 10–14, 2025: Hochfilzen, Austria
December 15–21, 2025: Annecy-Le-Grand-Bornand, France
January 5–11, 2026: Pokljuka, Slovenia
January 12–18, 2026: Ruhpolding, Germany
January 19–25 2026: Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic
6–22 February 2026: Antholz-Anterselva, Italy (Olympic Games)
2–8 March 2026: Kontiolahti, Finland
9–15 March 2026: Otepää, Estonia
16–22 March 2026: Holmenkollen, Norway (Season Final)

Note: Dates are subject to change; it is recommended to check the IBU official website for updates.

2026 Olympic Games

The season will culminate in the 2026 Winter Olympics, where biathlon competitions will be held in Antholz-Anterselva, Italy. This event will attract the attention of millions of fans and will be the main test for athletes.

Participants and favorites

The world’s leading biathletes are expected to participate in the 2025/2026 season. Among the potential favorites:

Johannes Thingnes Boe (Norway): multiple World Cup winner and Olympic champion.
Quentin Fillon-Maillet (France): a stable leader in world biathlon.
Sturla Holm Laegreid (Norway): a rising star with impressive results.
Elvira Oeberg (Sweden): one of the strongest biathletes of recent seasons.
Lisa Vittozzi (Italy): the leader of the Italian team with high ambitions.

The participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus will depend on the decisions of the IBU and the current political situation.

Interesting facts

Return of stages to North America: According to the IBU plans, stages in the USA and Canada are not planned for the 2025/2026 season, but they may return in the following seasons.

New dates for Oberhof: From 2027 onwards, the Oberhof round will be moved to a later date in the season to allow for better weather conditions.

Cup History

The Men’s Biathlon World Cup was held for the first time in the 1978-79 season, the Women’s Biathlon World Cup has been held since the 1987-88 season. In the first men’s season biathletes competed in four stages: Ruhpolding (Germany), Rasen-Antholz (Italy), Sodankylä (Finland), Bardufoss (Norway).

The Biathlon World Cup quickly became one of the most popular winter sports in the world. In the early years of the World Cup, athletes from Germany and Norway dominated.

In recent years, the Biathlon World Cup has become more competitive. It is won by athletes from different countries.

Results of the previous competitions

Year	Venue	Winning team
2024-25	Started in Finland, ended in Norway	Overall: Men – Sturla Holm Laegreid Women – Franziska Preuss
2023-24	Started in Sweden, ended in Norway	Overall: Men – Johannes Thingnes Boe Women – Lisa Vittozzi
2022-23	Started in Finland, ended in Norway	Overall: Men – Johannes Thingnes Boe Women – Julie Simon