In 2024, the first edition of the FIS Games will be organized. “The FIS Games will not make it less interesting to venture into cross-country skiing. This inspires,” says Norwegian superstar Johannes Høsflot Klæbo to VG.

The International Ski and Snowboarding Federation (FIS) is launching the FIS Games, a new event for all FIS disciplines, both alpine and the Nordic disciplines (ski jumping, alpine, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined, telemark, snowboarding, and freestyle). The new competition structure will be arranged every four years, in the years when there are neither the Olympics nor the World Championships. 

FIS President Johan Eliasch:

“I think the FIS Games have greater potential than today’s World Championships, both for FIS finances and the public. This event will boost our sports, in addition to creating more attention before the Olympics,” says Eliasch to SkiActu.

He also confirms that the first FIS Games will be held as early as 2024 and the next in 2028. He realizes that time is short but still expects it to work out.

According to FIS General Secretary Michael Vion, the FIS Games will be an important measure to increase visibility and interest in skiing and thereby also increase the market value of skiing.

“The ambition is that a brand new spectacular event for all skiing disciplines under the FIS umbrella in the same place will gather the entire skiing sport and be an important measure to promote all our disciplines,” Vion told SkiActu when the concept was first presented last fall.

The FIS Games will not be given championship status and will not include a “full championship program” but will be part of the respective disciplines’ World Cup program. The competitions will be held over ten days in February.

The Norwegian superstar Johannes Høsflot Klæbo is optimistic about the competition:

“This is a concept that I find very exciting. It’s just a matter of getting behind such an initiative. Gathering all skiing sports is very exciting,” says Klæbo to VG.