The FIS Freeride World Championships Officially Announced for 2026 in Andorra

26 November 2024

A Historic Milestone: The World’s Best Freeriders to Compete for World Champion Titles in Ski and Snowboard Under FIS Authority

Key Highlights:

Dates: A weather window from February 1–6, 2026, with the competition day chosen within this period to ensure optimal conditions.

Location: Ordino Arcalís, Andorra, renowned for its challenging freeride terrain in the Pyrenees.

Format: Four competitions: Ski Men, Ski Women, Snowboard Men, and Snowboard Women, with one run per athlete to crown World Champions.

Qualification: May 1, 2024 – April 30, 2025, through FWT Pro, FWT Challenger, FWT Qualifier and FWT Junior series, plus national quotas.

Andorra – November 26, 2024 – The inaugural FIS Freeride World Championships is set to take place in Andorra in February 2026. This event reinforces the official integration of freeride skiing and snowboarding under the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), solidifying its status as a globally recognized discipline. The Championships will feature 67 of the world’s top freeriders, competing in one run across four competitions: Ski Men, Ski Women, Snowboard Men, and Snowboard Women. The competition day will be selected within a six-day weather window (February 1–6, 2026) to ensure the best possible conditions for a fair and safe competition.

Qualification: A Rigorous Path to the Top

The qualification process ensures that the world’s top freeride athletes have the opportunity to compete while guaranteeing diverse representation from nations around the globe. Athletes will qualify through one of five groups:

1. FWT Pro Ranking: Athletes qualify based on the FWT Pro Ranking 2025, which is determined by their best four results out of six events (or less depending on cancellations).

2. Continental Quotas: One qualification quota per competition is allocated to each of the following five regions: Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America—awarded to the highest-ranked athlete from each region on the Qualifying Global Seeding List.

3. NSA Quotas: Additional spots are allocated to National Ski Associations (NSAs) based on the Nations Ranking, provided they have limited or no athletes already qualified through earlier categories.

4. Wildcards: FIS Freeride allocates one wildcard per competition to address special cases such as injuries, media relevance, or national interest.

5. Host Nation Wildcard: One wildcard across the four competitions is granted by the host NSA to a local athlete, who must meet all eligibility criteria and hold citizenship of the host nation.

The qualification period runs from May 1, 2024 to April 30, 2025. Results from the FWT Pro, Challenger, and Qualifier series—as well as Junior events—will contribute to the Qualifying Global Seeding List, which determines athletes and nations rankings. Athletes at the top of this list and those with standout performances in specific regions will secure their places in Andorra. Each National Ski Association (NSA) can send a maximum of 12 athletes (excluding Wildcards), with a quota of up to 3 athletes per competition category. The full roster of qualified athletes will be published on September 16, 2025, following the conclusion of the qualification process.

Event Format

The FIS Freeride World Championships will take place over a single day. Athletes in Ski Men, Ski Women, Snowboard Men, and Snowboard Women competitions will have one run to showcase their skill, creativity, and precision on challenging terrain. Riders begin at a designated start gate and navigate to the finish line, selecting their own line through natural obstacles along the way. Judges will score each run based on five criteria: line choice, control, fluidity, technique, and air & style. With no room for error, this high-stakes format demands peak performance under pressure, as athletes compete for the prestigious World Champion title.

Quotes from Leadership

“This is a defining moment for freeride skiing and snowboarding. The FIS Freeride World Championships represents the pinnacle of our sport, bringing together the best athletes from around the globe to compete for the ultimate title. Andorra’s stunning terrain provides the perfect stage for this historic event, and we’re excited to showcase freeride at its finest.”

Nicolas Hale-Woods, FWT Founder and CEO

“When bringing Freeride into FIS, our intention has always been very clear: to immediately help position it as a world-class, full-fledged discipline. The inception of the FIS Freeride World Championships is a major step in that direction and a testament to the diligent work of our Freeride Working Group. This work now continues with an even more ambitious goal: the Olympic Winter Games in 2030.”

Michel Vion, FIS Secretary General

“It is a great honor for Andorra to make history by hosting the first-ever FIS Freeride World Championships. This milestone reflects our deep commitment to freeride, a sport that is embedded in the DNA of Ordino Arcalís and Andorra. Over the years, this dedication has established us as one of the world’s premier freeride destinations. We are particularly excited about the opportunities this historic step will create for young athletes. It will open new doors for them to pursue freeride professionally while balancing their academic and athletic aspirations, much like in other ski disciplines. We feel immensely proud to contribute to the growth of freeride on a global scale and to inspire the next generation through this event.”

David Ledesma Torres, Marketing Director, Grandvalira Resorts

“Hosting the first-ever Freeride World Championships organized by the FIS in Ordino Arcalís is very important to us. At the Andorran Ski Federation, we continue to provide full support to all major skiing events worldwide, and it is a significant milestone to host this inaugural global championship after all these years of welcoming Freeride World Tour events in Andorra.”

Patrick Toussaint, Vice-President of the Andorran Ski Federation

“When we were offered the opportunity to host the first FIS Freeride World Championships, we didn’t hesitate: this opportunity represents much more than hosting a sporting competition. It is also a platform to showcase Andorra to the world, to confirm that we are capable of hosting top-level sporting events, and at the same time, to highlight our identity, heritage, and natural treasures.”

Jordi Torres, Minister of Tourism and Commerce of the Government of Andorra

What to Expect

With freeride becoming increasingly popular globally, the FIS Freeride World Championships Andorra 2026 aims to captivate audiences with breathtaking performances, unrivaled athleticism, and the majestic backdrop of Andorra’s Pyrenean mountains. All eyes will be on the athletes as they take freeride skiing and snowboarding to the next level.

Relevant Links and Updates

For complete qualification criteria, visit: Qualification System Overview
Stay updated at www.freerideworldtour.com and www.fis-ski.com/freeride
Get real-time updates on key announcements, start lists, schedule changes, and more by joining the official FWT Media Updates WhatsApp Channel

About FWT

FWT Management SA is based in Verbier, Switzerland, and has been organizing premier sports events globally in mountain resorts since 1996. The company founded the Xtreme Verbier, an iconic event in freeride skiing and snowboarding and, in 2008, it turned this single competition into a prestigious series of worldwide events, called the Freeride World Tour (FWT). The company has since grown to include multiple competition series that fall under the FWT brand – including FWT Challenger, FWT Qualifier and FWT Junior – with events across all formats taking place in Europe, North America, South America and Oceania. Since December 2022, FWT is part of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). Discover more at www.freerideworldtour.com

About FIS

FIS is the worldwide governing body of snow sports. Since its foundation 100 years ago, FIS has been working alongside the National Ski Associations – currently, 137 of them – to grow and develop ski and snowboard across all levels: from grassroots to elite competition. Our commitment to snow sports goes hand in hand with our mission of reducing environmental impact and using the power of sport to spread awareness about climate change. For more information, visit fis-ski.com and contact us at communications@fis-ski.com.

About Ordino Arcalís Andorra

Founded in 1983 by the residents of the parish of Ordino, the ski resort has become a benchmark for mountain sports enthusiasts over the past forty years. In addition to its 30 km of slopes, it boasts extensive off-piste terrain ideal for freeride skiing, a key reason why it has been a host venue for the Freeride World Tour for nearly a decade. Ordino Arcalís also offers activities for all types of visitors, from the longest green slope in the Pyrenees to challenging runs perfect for expert skiers.

Since 2018, Ordino Arcalís has been part of the Grandvalira Resorts Andorra group, which also welcomed Pal Arinsal in the 22-23 season. Together, Andorra’s ski resorts offer access to a total of 308 km of slopes and are well-accustomed to hosting major sporting events, such as the Alpine Ski World Cup Finals, Ski Mountaineering World Cups, and Mountain Bike World Championships, among others.

Contact Information

Marianna Dallabetta Armani - Communication Manager

marianna@freerideworldtour.com

+39 392 3254391