The Ski World Championships in Trondheim were expected to yield a surplus of 20 million NOK. It has now become clear that the event will end up with a deficit of many millions – forecasts have suggested losses of up to 30 million. That’s a difference of 50 million from the initial estimates. The Norwegian World Championship scandal is alarming the next host city, Falun 2027.

In Falun, World Championship Manager Jonas Peterson and his team are closely monitoring the unfolding financial disaster in Trondheim.

No one today can say what the final result will be after the ski World Championships, which had full stands but still won’t be able to pay all the bills. An investigation is now underway to determine the extent of the problem. The municipality of Trondheim has requested an external review dating back to when the organization company was founded in 2021.

Also Read: World Championship scandal: “More excuses than explanations”

Several causes have been pointed to for the fiasco, but none have been officially confirmed. The chairman of the organizing company’s board, Åsne Havnelid, and the World Championship manager, Åge Skinstad, are now waiving further salary payments for the remainder of their contract periods.

However, that is likely a small matter compared to what smaller businesses that invested in the event will lose. In Norway, comparisons are now being drawn to the 2017 Cycling World Championships in Bergen, which ended in bankruptcy. Several other companies went bankrupt as a result of that event, and many people lost their jobs.

“It’s incredibly unfortunate that it has come to this,” said Falun 2027 World Championship manager Jonas Peterson to Norway’s Dagbladet.

“Åge Skinstad and the organization in Trondheim created a fantastic championship, and it was an event that people will not soon forget. It’s sad that this is the aftermath, and we sympathize with Åge and the others in the World Championship organization now,” says Jonas Peterson.

“We do view Norway as the homeland of skiing, so when things go wrong there, it’s of course challenging for the rest of us. At the same time, the championships in Oslo and Falun last time showed that it is possible to build a solid financial platform for an event like this.”

Jonas Peterson points to security as a key difference compared to 2015, the last time Falun hosted the World Championships.

“Security is one of the things that is completely different today. And that means an organization must do more, also financially. At the same time, the economic climate plays a role too,” says Falun’s World Championship manager, who is preparing for another ski celebration in less than two years.

Meanwhile, the people of Trondheim are licking their wounds. No one knows yet how deep they are.

The question is: what will people remember from the 2025 World Championships in Trondheim?

The athletic achievements on the trails – or the financial fiasco afterward?

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