The countdown is on. FIS gave the green light for the World Cup season opener in Sölden after its snow control on Thursday, confirming that the 2026/27 campaign will start as planned on the Rettenbach glacier. The women open with a giant slalom on Saturday, October 24, before the men take over on Sunday, October 25. Both races are scheduled with runs at 10:00 and 13:00 local time.
Praise for the course crew
FIS race director Janez Hladnik was full of praise after the inspection. "The team around course chief Isidor Grüner has once again done an outstanding job," he said, adding that while some work remains, "from today's perspective, nothing stands in the way of a great opening."
The key to it all is snowfarming. In spring, the Sölden lift company stored around 60,000 cubic metres of snow in depots specifically for the World Cup slope. Cooler temperatures in recent days also allowed snow guns to run, so old and new snow could be mixed into a solid base. Away from the race piste, cover on the glacier remains thin, and the full ski area is not due to open until mid-November.
The organisers share the optimism. "They have done an incredible job here. Conditions are really good for this week's training and next week's World Cup," Max Obergruber, project leader at Ski Austria Events, told the Tiroler Tageszeitung, adding that feedback from athletes had been universally positive. Training on the course continues until Sunday, after which crews will install safety netting and build the finish area. Weather is now the only real variable.
Scheiber debuts as race director
There is a new face in charge on the hill. Florian Scheiber will lead the race organisation at the opener for the first time. "This year I get to take over as race director at the World Cup opening in Sölden for the first time," said the 39-year-old. A former Austrian speed racer whose best World Cup result was fourth in the 2012 Beaver Creek downhill, Scheiber said he wants to draw on his experience as an athlete to deliver fair and safe races at the highest level.
Alpine Skiing'Nothing is ready': FIS casts doubt on Narvik women's World CupHis arrival comes at a turbulent moment for race management on the circuit: at FIS, the men's chief race director post remains vacant following Markus Waldner's resignation.
Scheib and Odermatt return as defending winners
On the sporting side, the storylines are already set. Austria's Julia Scheib returns as last year's women's winner on one of the toughest giant slalom slopes on the calendar, with gradients of up to 68 percent and a vertical drop of 370 metres. In the men's race, Marco Odermatt won in Sölden for a third straight year in 2025, beating Marco Schwarz by 0.24 seconds. Reports say Scheib and Odermatt, as well as Mikaela Shiffrin and Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, have already been training on site.
Spectators will notice one change: for the first time, the event is completely cashless, with card, mobile and smartwatch payments only at food, drink and merchandise stands. More than 30,000 fans are expected, with standing tickets priced at 30 euros online including the shuttle to the glacier. Organisers are warning of traffic delays on the Ötztal road on both race mornings.
