On Monday, the Norwegian Ski Association presented the national team for the 2025/2026 season. Here’s what the men’s squad looks like for the upcoming season, with the Olympics being the clear highlight.

According to a press release, eleven men, including three new athletes, have been named to the 2025/2026 Norwegian national team.

On the men’s side, three skiers from this year’s team are leaving:

• Pål Golberg is retiring,
• Håvard Solås Taugbøl is moving to long-distance skiing, and
• Didrik Tønseth has been dropped.

Thus, three new skiers are getting their chance. In addition to Andreas Fjorden Ree, regional team star Jan Thomas Jenssen joins the squad. Both were approved before Easter. Last week, it was confirmed that the final spot will be for sprint talent Oskar Opstad Vike from the Elon Oslofjord regional team.

The following athletes have been selected for the 2025/2026 Norwegian National Team

• Harald Østberg Amundsen
• Iver Tildheim Andersen
• Ansgar Evensen
• Jan Thomas Jenssen (new)
• Johannes Høsflot Klæbo
• Simen Hegstad Krüger
• Even Northug
• Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget
• Andreas Fjorden Ree (new)
• Erik Valnes
• Oskar Opstad Vike (new)

COACHING TEAM – MEN ELITE

• Arild Monsen
• Eirik Myhr Nossum

This winter, the Norwegian Ski Association decided to discontinue the recruitment and junior national teams, effective from the 2025/2026 season.

Also Read: Norwegian women’s national team set for the 2025/2026 season

Fierce Battle for Olympic Spots

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan/Cortina are the clear highlight of the season.

Norway can only send eight athletes per gender to the Olympics, compared to twelve for the World Championships, meaning competition for spots will be extremely tough. Selection for the Olympics will mainly be based on results at the top level during the early part of the season. Therefore, getting into the World Cup team early will be more important than ever.

In this context, two athletes outside the national teams have an ace up their sleeve: Mattis Stenshagen and Helene Fossesholm. As overall winners of this winter’s Scandinavian Cup, they have secured a guaranteed spot in the World Cup for the entire first period (until the Tour de Ski).

World Cup and the 2026 Olympics

The cross-country World Cup schedule is not yet 100% finalized. It will be discussed at the FIS spring meeting from May 5 to 9 and formally adopted at the FIS Congress later in spring/early summer.

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan/Cortina will take place from February 6 to 22, 2026.

The cross-country skiing events at the Winter Olympics are as follows

• February 7: Skiathlon, women
• February 8: Skiathlon, men
• February 10: Classic sprint, women and men
• February 12: 10km freestyle, women
• February 13: 10km freestyle, men
• February 14: Relay, women
• February 15: Relay, men
• February 18: Team sprint, women and men
• February 21: 50km classic, men
• February 22: 50km classic, women

Complete event program for all disciplines available HERE

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