He could replace Stefan Horngacher as Germany’s head coach

Austrian coach Stefan Horngacher has confirmed he will leave his role with the German national ski jumping team after the 2025/26 Olympic season. He explained at a press conference in Nuremberg that announcing the decision before the season helps avoid distractions for the athletes. Referring to his coaching journey, he said a circle is closing for him, though he did not rule out returning to coaching in the future.

German outlets immediately began speculating about successors. According to Sport1.de, Merkur.de and Kicker, the front‑runner is Thomas Thurnbichler. The Austrian joined the German Ski Association (DSV) in the spring after resigning as head coach of Poland and is set to lead the B team initially, positioning him as a natural candidate to take over the A team after Horngacher departs. Another option cited is Ronny Hornschuh, the former head coach of Switzerland, who currently oversees Germany’s C team.

The article recalls that Horngacher himself previously moved from coaching Poland to Germany. While his German team claimed notable results—such as a world championship team gold and an Olympic team bronze—the drought in individual triumphs at the Four Hills Tournament continued, with no athlete matching Sven Hannawald’s sweep. The German federation now faces a pivotal succession choice with the 2026 Olympics closing one chapter for Horngacher.