Airolo and Åre set to host future FIS Freestyle Junior World Championships

Following last week’s FIS Council meetings, two iconic European resorts have been confirmed as hosts for upcoming editions of the FIS Freestyle Junior World Championships. Airolo in Switzerland will welcome the world’s best young aerials and moguls athletes in 2026, while Åre and Duved in Sweden will stage the moguls and ski cross competitions in 2027. These appointments reflect both resorts’ deep roots in freestyle skiing and their ongoing commitment to nurturing the next generation of talent.

Airolo, located in the southern Swiss canton of Ticino, has long been recognized as a key venue in the development of freestyle skiing, particularly aerials. Often referred to as the heart of aerial skiing in Switzerland, Airolo hosted a FIS World Cup in 2004 and previously welcomed the FIS Junior World Championships in 2007. Beyond those headline events, Airolo has a storied history of hosting European Cup competitions in both moguls and aerials dating back to 1998. With its modern gondola system, consistent snow conditions, and dedicated freestyle infrastructure—including a snowpark and training facilities—Airolo provides an ideal environment for world-class competition and athlete development.

Looking further ahead to 2027, the Junior World Championships will move north to Sweden, where Åre SLK and Skistar will organize the moguls and ski cross events in the renowned region of Åre-Duved. Åre’s freestyle skiing legacy dates back to 1989, with its most recent FIS Freestyle World Cup taking place in 2015. Duved, just west of Åre village, has grown into a cornerstone of the European Cup circuit and is particularly valued for its strong club culture and athlete pipeline. The Åre region as a whole is widely regarded as Sweden’s premier alpine and freestyle destination, having previously hosted multiple World Championships and World Cups across alpine and freestyle disciplines.

Both Airolo and Åre offer not just world-class competition infrastructure, but also a deep cultural and community commitment to the sport. In Airolo, local clubs, national federations, and facility managers work closely to maintain high standards for athlete training, safety, and performance. Similarly, Åre SLK and the local community in Duved have built a thriving freestyle ecosystem that supports young athletes year-round, including a purpose-built snowpark and a development program led by former Olympians. The combination of strong local expertise and world-class resort infrastructure ensures these Championships will provide an excellent platform for the world’s best junior athletes to perform.

These upcoming events mark an important step in FIS’s mission to elevate junior competition and strengthen the freestyle pipeline. As preparations begin in both Switzerland and Sweden, fans and athletes alike can look forward to two inspiring, high-energy Championships held in resorts that have helped shape the history—and future—of the sport.