The 2025/26 FIS Freestyle World Cup season preview - Part 1

Months of preparation, intensive training blocks, and on-snow sessions around the world have all led to this moment: the 2025/26 FIS Freestyle World Cup season is just days away. The new campaign brings a packed and exciting schedule, featuring seven Moguls, five Dual Moguls, six Aerials, and two Aerials Mixed Team competitions across 10 standout venues throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. It’s set to be a season full of variety, big performances, and world-class competition.

This winter also carries special significance as athletes build toward the highlight of the year—the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games. Hosted on the stunning slopes of Livigno, the Olympic Freestyle events will provide one of the most spectacular stages in the sport, offering athletes the chance to deliver unforgettable performances when it matters most.

Fans on site can once again look forward to an atmosphere like no other, with top-level competition and unique event experiences at every stop. For those following from home, the entire season will be available through extensive broadcast coverage, FIS TV live streams, and enhanced social media storytelling designed to bring the action closer than ever.

This season also marks the beginning of a new chapter for Freestyle skiing through FIS’s global partnership with Azerbaijan, which becomes the official title partner of the FIS Freestyle World Cup in Moguls and Aerials. As part of FIS’s first-ever Global Destination Partnership, the collaboration aims to strengthen visibility and support for these disciplines while helping introduce Freestyle skiing to new audiences around the world. The partnership adds an important layer of momentum to a season already filled with anticipation and opportunity.

With everything now set for another thrilling winter, we’re excited to kick off the journey and follow the world’s best Freestyle skiers as they chase Crystal Globes—and Olympic dreams.

Let’s dive into the 2025/26 FIS Freestyle World Cup calendar, featuring an exceptional mix of venues and a deep field of athletes ready to make their mark in what promises to be a standout season.

The 2025/26 calendar

The season kicks off far north at the edge of the Arctic Circle, where Ruka resort in Finland will host the freestyle opener for an impressive 16th year in a row from 6–8 December. This year begins with three consecutive days of action—Aerials followed by back-to-back Moguls—after Ski Sport Finland and Ruka Ski Resort stepped in to add an additional event following some unfortunate cancellations in the December leg of the tour. Once again, Ruka sets the tone for what promises to be a high-energy winter.

From there, the tour heads east as the Aerials World Cup makes a welcome return to Secret Garden, China, on 20–21 December. The venue—famous from the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games—will once again host both individual and Mixed Team competitions, offering athletes a spectacular stage just before the holiday break.

Following a short pause for the holidays, the season shifts into top gear. With the Milano Cortina 2026 qualification window closing on 18 January, the North American tour starts earlier than usual, packing a serious punch right out of the gate.

First up is Lac-Beauport on 6–7 January, the heartland of Canadian Aerials, celebrating its fifth consecutive year on the circuit with back-to-back competitions.

While Aerialists are flying in Quebec, Moguls athletes head a few hours west for the electric nighttime atmosphere of Val-St-Côme on 9–10 January, where Moguls and Dual Moguls under the floodlights create one of the most iconic weekends of the season.

Then the spotlight moves south to the United States. Lake Placid—after its brilliant return last season—once again hosts Aerials and Mixed Team Aerials on 11–12 January, with big crowds expected at one of the sport’s most storied venues. That makes six competitions in seven days across North America, a perfect warm-up for fans and athletes alike.

The North American leg wraps up at none other than Deer Valley from 16–18 January, the crown jewel of freestyle skiing. Three night events, world-class crowds, and the Aerials World Cup Final ensure the Olympic qualification period ends with maximum intensity.

Then comes the moment the whole season builds toward: the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games. One of the biggest storylines is the Olympic debut of Dual Moguls, a milestone for the discipline and the sport. After last year’s successful test event in Livigno, both the Moguls and Aerials venues are set to deliver outstanding conditions and unforgettable performances.

• Moguls: qualifications on 10 January, women’s finals on 11 January, men’s finals on 12 January

• Dual Moguls: women’s final on 14 January, men’s final on 15 January

• Aerials: qualification on 17 January, women’s final on 18 January, men’s final on 19 January,

• Aerials Mixed Team on 21 January

Once Olympic medals are awarded, the attention turns back to the final stretch of the Moguls World Cup, which shifts to Asia.

The tour returns to Japan for the first time since 2020, visiting Nanto in Toyama prefecture from 28 February to 1 March. The course at Taira Ski Resort—well known from the Asian Cup circuit—will make its World Cup debut, offering athletes and fans a fresh and exciting new stop on the calendar.

From Japan, the tour heads to Almaty, Kazakhstan, where the majestic slopes of Shymbulak will host Moguls and Dual Moguls on 7–8 March. With its dramatic scenery and a strong reputation among both fans and athletes since joining the circuit in 2019, Shymbulak remains one of the standout venues of the season.

Finally, the season reaches its grand finale at the breathtaking Shahdag Mountain Resort in Azerbaijan on 14–15 March. Nestled high in the Greater Caucasus, Shahdag has quickly become the country’s premier winter destination. With modern infrastructure, high-altitude terrain, and a brand-new partnership between FIS and Azerbaijan, the venue offers a striking and fresh stage for closing out the 2025/26 World Cup season in style.