Nordic Combined Committee looks ahead: growth, innovation, and Olympic ambitions

The FIS Nordic Combined Committee convened to assess the discipline’s momentum and to chart priorities for the coming seasons. With the biggest World Cup calendar in the sport’s history set for 2025/26, the committee emphasized both competition expansion and long-term Olympic ambitions.

Biggest World Cup calendar to date Race Director Lasse Ottesen presented an expanded 2025/26 World Cup schedule. Highlights include more women’s World Cups on large hills, the first-ever men’s ski flying competition in Nordic Combined at the storied Kulm hill, and a broader Continental Cup program. Grassroots indicators are strong as well, with Oberstdorf hosting a record 137 young athletes at the FIS Youth Cup in August, signaling a healthy pipeline of talent.

Modernization and fan growth Ottesen noted continued work on clearer, more TV-friendly formats, enhanced production, and global youth development to make the sport more accessible while preserving tradition. Data from Infront showed rising TV audiences in 2024/25—especially for women’s events—and record-breaking engagement on social media, led by TikTok.

Rules, prize money, and equality The committee endorsed targeted equipment rule updates designed to improve safety and clarity. World Cup prize money will increase by 10% from 2025/26, with local organizers able to add a further 10%. Crucially, Nordic Combined will provide equal overall prize money for men and women.

Olympic pathway to 2030 A central focus is the IOC’s forthcoming decision on whether Nordic Combined will be included in the 2030 Olympic Winter Games in the French Alps. FIS has filed a comprehensive application and backs the discipline fully. The IOC’s evaluation has been extended, with a decision expected in spring 2026 after Milano Cortina 2026. Ticket sales are a positive indicator of interest—64% of Nordic Combined tickets for Milano Cortina are already sold.

With robust growth metrics, new event milestones, and constructive IOC dialogue, the committee expressed confidence in Nordic Combined’s trajectory and its place among elite winter sports.