The cross-country skiing World Cup season 2025/2026 starts this week in Ruka, Finland, and the Swedish national team for the opening weekend has now been announced.

Ruka, Finland, is the venue for the cross-country skiing World Cup premiere. The event begins on Friday, November 28, with a 10km interval start race in classic technique. On Saturday, November 29, a classic sprint is on the program, and on Sunday, November 30, the opening weekend concludes with a 20km mass start race in freestyle technique. 

Also Read – Cross-country World Cup: Complete program for Ruka

In a press release, the Swedish Ski Association confirmed the national team selection for Ruka. Sweden will field 21 athletes (10 women and 11 men), as Sweden can start six skiers per gender in each competition.

“We have had an exciting premiere weekend where several efforts have been crucial to getting to the World Cup premiere in Ruka. Great importance has been placed on the Gällivare competitions when we in the national team management have tried to put together the puzzle of who will go to which competitions in Finland,” says national team manager Anders Byström.

“The quality and level have been high, so it feels interesting to bring this team to the first weekend of the World Cup this season.”

“It’s extra fun that some relatively unknown faces get the chance. For example, Jesper Persson and Johan Ekberg, who both showed a significant increase in level from the results they achieved last season. We also have Alvar Myhlback with us, who, despite washing up in the sprint, had a really good weekend, including a podium finish in the 10km classic,” adds Byström.

According to the press release, William Poromaa is skipping the World Cup premiere as his body is not yet fully ready for a demanding competition weekend. Linn Svahn will also not participate in Ruka, as she is in retraining after being diagnosed with an illness ahead of the Gällivare premiere.

Swedish National Team for the Ruka World Cup 2025/2026

WOMEN

• Ebba Andersson
• Maja Dahlqvist
• Evelina Crüsell
• Johanna Hagström
• Moa Ilar
• Frida Karlsson
• Moa Lundgren
• Emma Ribom
• Märta Rosenberg
• Jonna Sundling

MEN

• Edvin Anger
• Gustaf Berglund
• Emil Danielsson
• Johan Ekberg
• Anton Grahn
• Johan Häggström
• Leo Johansson
• Alvar Myhlback
• Jesper Persson
• Eric Rosjö
• Oskar Svensson

FACTS Ruka World Cup Season 2025/2026

• When: Friday, November 28 to Sunday, November 30 
• Who: Elite national skiers – women and men
• Where: Ruka, Finland
• What: FIS Cross-Country World Cup in Ruka, Finland

PROGRAM

Friday, November 28: 10km Interval Start Classic (More details can be found HERE)

• 10:30 CET: 10km Individual C, Women
• 13:15 CET: 10km Individual C, Men

Saturday, November 29: Sprint Classic (More details can be found HERE)

• 8:55 CET: Sprint Qualify C, Women
• 8:55 CET: Sprint Qualify C, Men 
• 11:25 CET: Sprint Final C, Women 
• 11:25 CET: Sprint Final C, Men

Sunday, November 30: 20km Mass Start Freestyle (More details can be found HERE)

• 10:00 CET: 20km Mass Start F, Men
• 11:45 CET: 20km Mass Start F, Women

After Ruka, the World Cup heads to Norway (Trondheim). Then, to Switzerland (Davos) and the Tour de Ski (Italy). This period is followed by competitions in January in Germany (Oberhof) and Switzerland (Goms).

Then, it’s time for the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games from February 7 to 22, 2026.

After Milano-Cortina, the World Cup ends the season with weekends in Sweden (Falun), Finland (Lahti), Norway (Drammen-Oslo), and the USA (Lake Placid).

Read More: Cross-country skiing World Cup: Calendar for the 2025/2026 winter season 

2025/2026 Cross-Country Skiing World Cup Calendar

Before Christmas

November 28-30, 2025: Ruka, Finland (Week 1)

• 28/11: 10km Interval Start Classic, Men
• 28/11: 10km Interval Start Classic, Women
• 29/11: Sprint Classic, Men
• 29/11: Sprint Classic, Women
• 30/11: 20km Mass Start Freestyle, Men
• 30/11: 20km Mass Start Freestyle, Women

December 5-7, 2025: Trondheim, Norway (Week 2)

• 05/12: Sprint Classic, Men
• 05/12: Sprint Classic, Women
• 06/12: 20km Skiathlon Classic/Freestyle, Men
• 06/12: 20km Skiathlon Classic/Freestyle, Women
• 07/12: 10km Interval Start Freestyle, Men
• 07/12: 10km Interval Start Freestyle, Women 

December 12-14, 2025: Davos, Switzerland (Week 3)

• 12/12: Team Sprint Freestyle, Men
• 12/12: Team Sprint Freestyle, Women
• 13/12: Sprint Freestyle, Men
• 13/12: Sprint Freestyle, Women
• 14/12: 10km Interval Start Freestyle, Men
• 14/12: 10km Interval Start Freestyle, Women

Tour de Ski (Toblach and Val di Fiemme)

December 28, 2025 – January 1, 2026: Toblach, Italy (Week 4)

• 28/12: Sprint Freestyle, Men
• 28/12: Sprint Freestyle, Women
• 29/12: 10km Interval Start Classic, Men
• 29/12: 10km Interval Start Classic, Women
• 31/12: 5km Heat Mass Start Freestyle, Men
• 31/12: 5km Heat Mass Start Freestyle, Women
• 01/01: 20km Pursuit Classic, Men
• 01/01: 20km Pursuit Classic, Women

January 3-4, 2026: Val di Fiemme, Italy (Week 5)

• 03/01: Sprint Classic, Men
• 03/01: Sprint Classic, Women
• 04/01: 10km Mass Start Freestyle, Men – Cermis Final Climb
• 04/01: 10km Mass Start Freestyle, Women – Cermis Final Climb

After the Tour de Ski and before the Winter Olympic Games

January 17-18, 2026: Oberhof, Germany (Week 6)

• 17/01: Sprint Freestyle, Men
• 17/01: Sprint Freestyle, Women
• 18/01: 10km Interval Start Classic, Men
• 18/01: 10km Interval Start Classic, Women

January 23-25, 2026: Goms, Switzerland (Week 7)

• 23/01 Team Sprint Freestyle, Men
• 23/01: Team Sprint Freestyle, Women
• 24/01: Sprint Classic, Men
• 24/01: Sprint Classic, Women
• 25/01: 20km Mass Start Classic, Men
• 25/01: 20km Mass Start Classic, Women

Winter Olympic Games

February 7-22, 2026: Milano-Cortina, Italy

• 07/02: 20km Skiathlon, Women
• 08/02: 20km Skiathlon, Men
• 10/02: Sprint Classic, Women
• 10/02: Sprint Classic, Men
• 12/02: 10km Interval Start Freestyle, Women
• 13/02: 10km Interval Start Freestyle, Men
• 14/02: 4×7.5km Relay Classic/Freestyle, Women
• 15/02: 4×7.5km Relay Classic/Freestyle, Men
• 18/02: Team Sprint Freestyle, Women
• 18/02: Team Sprint Freestyle, Men
• 21/02: 50km Mass Start Classic, Men
• 22/02: 50km Mass Start Classic, Women

Complete program for the Winter Olympic Games can be found HERE

Also Read: Program for cross-country skiing at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

Final Stages

February 28 – March 1, 2026: Falun, Sweden (Week 8)

• 28/02: Sprint Freestyle, Men
• 28/02: Sprint Freestyle, Women
• 01/03: 20km Skiathlon Classic/Freestyle, Men
• 01/03: 20km Skiathlon Classic/Freestyle, Women

March 7-8, 2026: Lahti, Finland (Week 9)

• 07/03: Sprint Freestyle, Men
• 07/03: Sprint Freestyle, Women
• 08/03: 10km Interval Start Classic, Men
• 08/03: 10km Interval Start Classic, Women

March 12-14, 2026: Drammen – Oslo, Norway (Week 10)

• 12/03: Sprint Classic, Men
• 12/03: Sprint Classic, Women
• 14/03: 50km Mass Start Freestyle, Men
• 14/03: 50km Mass Start Freestyle, Women

March 20-22, 2026: Lake Placid (Finals)

• 20/03: 10km Interval Start Classic, Men
• 20/03: 10km Interval Start Classic, Women
• 21/03: Sprint Freestyle, Men
• 21/03: Sprint Freestyle, Women
• 22/03: 20km Mass Start Freestyle, Men
• 22/03: 20km Mass Start Freestyle, Women

Additional information about the Cross-Country Skiing World Cup can be found HERE

Are you interested in traditional cross-country skiing? Click HERE and read more about it.

As a member of ProXCskiing.com, you get full access to all content on the site. Also, live streaming of Ski Classics events with English commentaries is available.

When you become part of one of the World’s leading XC ski communities, you will receive many exclusive offers all year round.

REGISTER HERE AS A MEMBER