Season openers in cross-country skiing and biathlon: program and TV times
This weekend, the cross-country skiing and biathlon seasons get underway, with start lists packed with World Cup stars. Here is the full program, TV times and all the details.
Over two weekends in November, it will become clear which athletes are selected for the World Cup openers in cross-country skiing and biathlon, as well as the first round of the IBU Cup (the international biathlon series just below the World Cup).
On the weekend of November 13–15, the 2026/2027 season gets underway with international FIS cross-country races in Muonio and national biathlon season openers in both Norway and Sweden. On the weekend of November 20–22, Sweden and Norway hold their national cross-country season openers.
See the detailed day-by-day program with race formats, start lists, broadcast times and TV channels at the bottom of the article
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
Once again this year, Olos/Muonio in northern Finland opens the FIS cross-country season. The race weekend in Muonio on November 13–15 is the first chance for the elite to compete on snow since the World Cup Finals in mid-March. The program includes both sprint and distance races, and World Cup stars and elite skiers from many nations will be on the start line.
All the star-studded races from Muonio will be broadcast both live and on demand on the streaming channel SC Play, which has exclusive broadcasting rights in all countries except Finland (where the rights are not exclusive).
The Norwegian and Swedish national cross-country season openers take place in parallel the following weekend, November 20–22, at Beitostølen and in Bruksvallarna respectively. At stake is selection for the World Cup opener in Ruka, Finland, on November 26–29. NRK and SVT broadcast live on all days.
BIATHLON
For the biathletes, the season opens in Geilo on November 14–15. Large parts of the international World elite will also be there, including France and Italy.
For the Norwegian athletes, results from Geilo are the basis for selection to the World Cup opener in Kontiolahti on November 26–29.
Norway has a World Cup quota of up to six women and six men, but on the men’s side the entire team is already filled before the season opener in Geilo that weekend. On the women’s side, there are two open spots. One reserve spot will also be awarded for each gender, and both world champions and national team stars are competing for it.
The races in Geilo are also the basis for selection to the first round of the IBU Cup, which takes place in Idre, Sweden, at the same time as the World Cup opener.
The Swedes also hold their season opener the same weekend, in Idrefjäll. In addition to the Swedish stars, several of the world’s best international athletes will also compete.
PROGRAM FOR THE 2026/27 SEASON OPENERS: DAY BY DAY
Friday, November 13
TBA: Cross-country – Oloksen, Muonio (FIN): classic sprint, qualification women and men (SC Play)
TBA: Cross-country – Oloksen, Muonio (FIN): classic sprint, finals women and men (SC Play)
Saturday, November 14
TBA: Cross-country – Oloksen, Muonio (FIN): 10km classic interval start, women and men (SC Play)
11:30: Biathlon – Season opener, Geilo: Sprint 7.5 km women (NRK)
10:00: Biathlon – Sverigepremiären, Idre Fjäll (SWE): short individual 12.5 km, women (SVT)
12:15: Biathlon – Sverigepremiären, Idre Fjäll (SWE): short individual 15 km, men (SVT)
14:00: Biathlon – Season opener, Geilo (NOR): Sprint 10 km, men (NRK)
Sunday, November 15
TBA: Cross-country – Oloksen, Muonio (FIN): 10km freestyle interval start, women and men (SC Play)
09:50: Biathlon – Season opener, Geilo (NOR): Mass start 40 (B) 12.5 km, women
10:00: Biathlon – Sverigepremiären, Idre Fjäll (SWE): Sprint 7.5 km, women (SVT)
10:40: Biathlon – Season opener, Geilo: Mass start 80 (B), men
12:00: Biathlon – Sverigepremiären, Idre Fjäll (SWE): Sprint 10 km, men (SVT)
12:45: Biathlon – Season opener, Geilo (NOR): Mass start 12.5 km (A), women (NRK)
14:30: Biathlon – Season opener, Geilo (NOR): Mass start 15 km (A), men (NRK)
Friday, November 20
10:00: Cross-country – Beitosprinten: 5km, para sit-ski
10:40: Cross-country – Beitosprinten: 7.5km classic, para standing/VI, 7.5km
11:10: Cross-country – Beitosprinten: 10km interval start, senior women (NRK)
13:00: Cross-country – Beitosprinten: 10km interval start, senior men (NRK)
08:45: Cross-country – Bruksvallarna: classic sprint, qualification women and men
11:30: Cross-country – Bruksvallarna: classic sprint, finals women and men
Saturday, November 21
09:00: Cross-country – Beitosprinten: classic sprint, qualification para (NRK)
09:30: Cross-country – Beitosprinten: classic sprint, qualification women (NRK)
10:10: Cross-country – Beitosprinten: classic sprint, qualification men (NRK)
11:15: Cross-country – Beitosprinten: classic sprint, finals para (NRK)
12:00: Cross-country – Beitosprinten: classic sprint, finals women and men (NRK)
08:45: Cross-country – Bruksvallarna: 10km classic interval start, senior men (SVT)
12:00: Cross-country – Bruksvallarna: 10km classic interval start, senior women (SVT)
Sunday, November 22
10:30: Cross-country – Beitosprinten: 15km freestyle interval start, senior women (NRK)
13:00: Cross-country – Beitosprinten: 15km freestyle interval start, senior men (NRK)
10:00: Cross-country – Bruksvallarna: 10km freestyle interval start, senior men (SVT)
12:00: Cross-country – Bruksvallarna: 10km freestyle interval start, senior women (SVT)
You can find all start lists, details and results in the “Events & Results” section on ProXCskiing.com
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