Landslide vote at IBU Congress seals Sweden's bid
Östersund will host the 2031 Biathlon World Championships after the IBU Congress voted 37-10 in favour of the Swedish city over Finland's Kontiolahti on Friday at the 17th Ordinary IBU Congress in Berchtesgaden, Germany. The decisive margin ended a bidding contest between two well-established Nordic venues and confirmed biathlon's return to Swedish soil for the first time in twelve years. It will be Östersund's fourth time as World Championships host, following editions in 1970, 2008 and 2019.
Domeij and Grip react with immediate jubilation
Sofia Domeij — elected the previous day as IBU Vice President and long-serving head of the Swedish Biathlon Federation — described the outcome as a landmark moment. "This is a fantastic day for Swedish biathlon. We are incredibly happy, proud and grateful for the trust to welcome the world to Östersund, Jämtland and Sweden in 2031," she said. The federation's secretary general, Rikard Grip, added: "We are ready to deliver and are already underway with preparations."
Kontiolahti, a Finnish venue with a strong track record as a World Cup and World Championships host, received just ten votes — a result that underscored the strength of the Östersund presentation and the breadth of political and logistical support behind Sweden's bid.
Östersund's track record as a host
Östersund's three previous World Championships were spread across five decades. The 1970 edition was the first the city hosted, making it one of biathlon's earliest recurring venues. The 2008 and 2019 editions cemented Östersund's reputation for logistical reliability and consistently large crowds, with the Östersund Arena — a purpose-built biathlon stadium — widely regarded as one of the best on the circuit. Swedish media reports indicate that strong backing from the Jämtland regional government formed part of the bid package and reportedly contributed to the convincing margin in the vote.
Championship pipeline through to 2031
With Friday's decision, the IBU's major championship schedule is now confirmed through the end of the decade. Otepää in Estonia hosts in 2027, Hochfilzen in Austria in 2028, and Oslo-Holmenkollen in Norway in 2029, before the calendar moves to Östersund in 2031. The Swedish city will therefore have had twelve years between editions when it next raises the World Championships flag — the longest gap in its World Championships history.
A potential farewell stage for Sweden's golden generation
Swedish regional media have already raised the prospect that the 2031 championships could serve as a final major home event for the current generation of Swedish biathletes. Several prominent athletes who are in their mid-twenties this season would be approaching the latter stages of their competitive careers by 2031, lending the Berchtesgaden decision an emotional weight beyond the sporting calendar.
The IBU Congress also confirmed on Friday the ongoing suspension of the Russian and Belarusian Biathlon Federations, upheld since September 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The full congress continues in Berchtesgaden through Saturday, with regulatory changes for the 2026-27 season among the remaining agenda items.