2025-26 Season Preview
Introduction
Last weekend of October means the curtain opener for the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in Sölden. The 2025-26 season will be an interesting one with all skiers focused on being sharp and healthy for the Olympics.
The returning men’s champion is Marco Odermatt, 28, who will be seeking his 5th Overall World Cup which would place him tied for second all time with Marc Girardelli behind Marcel Hirscher. On the ladies side, Federica Brignone, 35, will be shooting for her 3rd along with a memorable home Olympics.
This post will outline the schedule for the upcoming season, give predictions for how the World Cup season will unfold, and provide some names for skiers who will possibly break through. This preview is for the World Cup season only. There will be an Olympics preview in the lead-up to Milan-Cortina.
My knowledge for ski sports outside of cross-country is lacking, so if you wish to see any changes or have a suggested statistical analysis for alpine skiing, please send me an email.
Outside the Races
Schedule
Venues
Here are the venues for this season with the last season they performed there in parentheses (Men/Ladies when both racing there if different otherwise just that gender).
Men/Ladies
- Sölden (2024-25)
- Levi (2024-25)
- Gurgl (2024-25)
- Copper Mountain (1975-76/2000-01)
- Val d’Isère (2024-25/2023-24)
- Garmisch (2023-24/2024-25)
- Kranjska Gora (2024-25)
- Courchevel (2022-23)
- Kvitfjell (2024-25)
Men Only
- Beaver Creek (2024-25)
- Val Gardena (2024-25)
- Alta Badia (2024-25)
- Livigno (Never)
- Madonna di Campiglio (2024-25)
- Adelboden (2024-25)
- Wengen (2024-25)
- Kitzbühel (2024-25)
- Schladming (2024-25)
- Bormio (OWG) (2024-25)
- Hafjell (2024-25)
Ladies Only
- Tremblant (2023-24)
- St. Moritz (2024-25)
- Semmering (2024-25)
- Altenmarkt-Zauchensee (2023-24)
- Flachau (2024-25)
- Tarvisio (2010-11)
- Kronplatz (2024-25)
- Spindleruv Mlyn (2022-23)
- Crans-Montana (2023-24)
- Cortina d’Ampezzo (OWG) (2024-25)
- Soldeu-Grandvalira (2023-24)
- Pozza di Fassa (2020-21)
- Åre (2024-25)
Most of the season has been on the semi-regular circuit with a few exceptions. Copper Mountain will be skied on for the first time since 1975-76 for men and 2000-01 for ladies. Furthermore, Livigno will host its first ever race in December when the men come for a Super G. On the ladies side, Tarvisio will host its first race in 15 seasons.
Races
In terms of what’s on the schedule, this is the breakdown for World Cup only races:
Men
- Total races: 38
- Speed: 18
- Downhill: 9
- Super-G: 9
- Tech: 20
- Giant Slalom: 9
- Slalom: 11
Ladies
- Total races: 37
- Speed: 17
- Downhill: 9
- Super-G: 8
- Tech: 20
- Giant Slalom: 10
- Slalom: 10
In comparison of proportions of overall races between this season, last season, and the last 5 seasons on average.
Men
| Category | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | 2021-2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Races | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Downhill | 0.236842105263158 | 0.216216216216216 | 0.241758241758242 |
| Super-G | 0.236842105263158 | 0.216216216216216 | 0.197802197802198 |
| Giant Slalom | 0.236842105263158 | 0.243243243243243 | 0.258241758241758 |
| Slalom | 0.289473684210526 | 0.324324324324324 | 0.302197802197802 |
| Speed | 0.473684210526316 | 0.432432432432432 | 0.43956043956044 |
| Tech | 0.526315789473684 | 0.567567567567568 | 0.56043956043956 |
Ladies
| Category | 2025-26 | 2024-25 | 2021-2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Races | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Downhill | 0.243243243243243 | 0.176470588235294 | 0.217877094972067 |
| Super-G | 0.216216216216216 | 0.264705882352941 | 0.229050279329609 |
| Giant Slalom | 0.27027027027027 | 0.264705882352941 | 0.262569832402235 |
| Slalom | 0.27027027027027 | 0.294117647058824 | 0.290502793296089 |
| Speed | 0.45945945945946 | 0.441176470588235 | 0.446927374301676 |
| Tech | 0.540540540540541 | 0.558823529411765 | 0.553072625698324 |
For men, this season appears to be heavier on speed races than normal. However, since those races tend to be cancelled at a higher clip, I would expect that to even out with the historical average.
For ladies, it appears to be a typical schedule with more emphasis on downhill than Super-G compared to the 2024-25 season. Maybe this will favor someone like Lara Gut-Behrami to win the overall compared to a more technical skier such as Shiffrin?