Freestyle teams to watch: New opportunities and familiar contenders ahead of 2026/27

With the 2026/27 FIS Freestyle World Cup season approaching, several leading nations are preparing for a winter that will look noticeably different from the one that ended at Milano Cortina 2026.

Canada begins a new chapter following Mikaël Kingsbury's retirement, while Australia will be without Jakara Anthony after the two-time Olympic champion announced a year away from competition. Sweden is also preparing for the absence of Walter Wallberg, and coaching changes in both Sweden and Finland bring new faces to the sidelines.

Meanwhile, Japan's Ikuma Horishima returns as the reigning men's Overall Moguls World Cup champion, and China remains a major force in aerials following another successful season.

Following our earlier look at the United States, we turn to the other leading Freestyle nations and the athletes preparing for the new campaign.

Australia looks to its Olympic medalists

Australia enters the new season with two Olympic medalists leading its men's moguls program, but will be without one of the biggest names in women's skiing.

Jakara Anthony announced on 19 October that she will take a break from competition for the entire 2026/27 season, ending a run of more than 15 consecutive winters on the competition circuit.

The two-time Olympic champion finished last season with her seventh World Cup Crystal Globe, having recovered from a serious collarbone injury to win the inaugural women's Olympic Dual Moguls title at Milano Cortina 2026.

Her absence opens the door for Charlotte Wilson to take on a more prominent role in Australia's women's team.

Wilson, the 2024/25 FIS Rookie of the Year, finished sixth in Olympic Moguls in Livigno and continued her progress during the Australian winter, winning both women's titles at the national championships in Perisher in August.

On the men's side, Cooper Woods and Matt Graham return following successful Olympic campaigns.

Woods delivered the biggest result of his career in Livigno, winning Olympic Moguls gold ahead of Japan's Ikuma Horishima and teammate Graham. It was a breakthrough performance for the Australian, who had previously reached the individual World Cup podium just once.

Graham added another Olympic medal to his collection in Dual Moguls, taking bronze eight years after winning silver at PyeongChang 2018.

The experienced Australian also enjoyed a strong World Cup campaign, claiming victory in Nanto-Toyama and finishing second in both the Moguls and Overall Moguls standings.

Jackson Harvey, George Murphy and Oliver Logan provide further depth to the men's squad.

In aerials, Olympic silver medalist Danielle Scott remains one of Australia's established contenders, with Abbey Willcox and Airleigh Frigo among the athletes developing through the national program.

Three-time Aerials Crystal Globe winner Laura Peel is also preparing for a different winter as she expects a child, with a break from competition anticipated for the 2026/27 season.

Canada begins a new chapter without Kingsbury

For Canada, the biggest change comes with the retirement of Mikaël Kingsbury, who brought his remarkable World Cup career to a close after reaching the milestone of 100 victories on home snow in Val Saint-Côme last January.

Kingsbury went on to claim Olympic Dual Moguls gold at Milano Cortina 2026, providing a fitting conclusion to a career that established him as the most successful moguls skier in World Cup history.

His departure leaves a significant gap in Canada's men's team.

Julien Viel will be among the athletes looking to take on greater responsibility, alongside Charles Beaulieu, Sam Cordell and Joey Dubuc, who have been named to Freestyle Canada's 2026/27 World Cup moguls team.

On the women's side, Maïa Schwinghammer remains a leading figure. A World Cup winner and World Championships bronze medalist in 2025, Schwinghammer finished fifth in women's Moguls at Milano Cortina 2026.

Jessie Linton also features in Canada's World Cup squad.

In aerials, Canada retains considerable experience through Marion Thénault and Lewis Irving.

Thénault was among the standout performers during the summer Grand Prix, winning the women's competition in Mettmenstetten in August.

Irving is joined by Miha Fontaine, Émile Nadeau and Alexandre Duchaine in a men's program that continues to combine established competitors with younger athletes.

With Kingsbury no longer on the start list, the coming season will provide an important opportunity for Canada's next generation to establish itself on the World Cup circuit.

Japan builds around reigning champion Horishima

Japan heads into the new campaign with Ikuma Horishima once again leading its men's moguls program.

Horishima secured the men's Overall Moguls and Moguls Crystal Globes in 2025/26, maintaining his position among the leading athletes on the World Cup circuit.

He also collected two Olympic silver medals in Livigno, finishing behind Cooper Woods in Moguls and Mikaël Kingsbury in Dual Moguls.

The Ski Association of Japan has selected Horishima for its A-team for 2026/27, alongside Takuya Shimakawa, Shota Hirayama and Rino Yanagimoto.

Shimakawa also impressed at the Olympics, finishing fourth in men's Dual Moguls after narrowly missing out on bronze against Australia's Matt Graham.

On the women's side, Yanagimoto remains one of Japan's leading athletes, with Hina Fujiki, Hisako Kajiwara and Yuma Taguchi also selected for the federation's 2026/27 programme.

With Horishima leading the team and younger athletes gaining international experience, Japan will be looking to build on those results in the coming World Cup season.

Sweden prepares for change on and off the snow

Sweden faces a winter of transition following Walter Wallberg's decision to take a year away from competition.

The Beijing 2022 Olympic Moguls champion announced that he will miss the entire 2026/27 season as he continues to recover from injuries that have affected his last two winters.

Despite making only two World Cup starts in 2025/26, Wallberg returned for Milano Cortina 2026 and finished fourth in Moguls and fifth in Dual Moguls.

His absence places greater attention on Filip Gravenfors, Rasmus Stegfeldt and the other members of Sweden's moguls program.

Gravenfors has established himself as a World Cup podium contender in recent seasons, although a training injury forced him to miss the Olympic Winter Games in Italy. His competition plans for the new season remain to be confirmed.

The Swedish Ski Association's October preseason presentation also featured Robin Olgård, Emil Holmgren, Moa Gustafson, Nova Nilsson and Elis Moberg, offering a look at the group preparing for the winter.

Sweden has also made a significant change behind the scenes.

Former World Cup athlete Ludvig Fjällström has taken over as A-team coach, replacing Lasse Fahlén after several successful seasons.

Fjällström previously worked with Sweden's development team and will now help guide a national program preparing for its first full season without Wallberg on the World Cup circuit.

Finland brings in Walczyk as technical coach

Finland has confirmed a four-athlete moguls squad for 2026/27, retaining an experienced group while adding an interesting new name to its coaching staff.

Olli Penttala, Severi Vierelä and Akseli Ahvenainen have been selected for the A team, with Rasmus Karjalainen named to the B team.

The Finnish Ski Association has also extended head coach Juha Hautsalo's contract and appointed American Dylan Walczyk as its new technical coach.

Walczyk brings extensive World Cup experience to the position, having competed internationally for the United States for more than a decade.

Interestingly, he is also listed on the 2026/27 U.S. Moguls B Team, creating an unusual connection between the two national programs.

The appointment forms part of Finland's efforts to strengthen its technical program and support the development of its World Cup athletes.

The team will have the opportunity to begin the season on home snow, with Ruka scheduled to host the opening Moguls World Cup competition on 12 December.

France looks to Laffont and its established squad

France has confirmed its 2026/27 moguls selections, with Perrine Laffont once again heading the women's A training group.

Laffont enters the season following another Olympic podium, having claimed bronze in women's Moguls at Milano Cortina 2026.

The French skier returned to World Cup competition in November 2024 after a year away from the circuit, immediately winning her first event back.

Camille Cabrol and Marie Duaux join Laffont in the women's A group for the new season.

On the men's side, France has selected Benjamin Cavet, Léo Crozet, Hugo Duhem, Paul Andrea Gay, Thibaud Mouille and Arthur Offel de Villaucourt.

With several leading competitors absent from the women's field this winter, Laffont's experience and competitive record could become particularly important as the World Cup season develops.

China continues to set the standard in aerials

China enters the new campaign following another successful season in aerials, having secured both individual Crystal Globes in 2025/26.

Xu Mengtao claimed her eighth World Cup Crystal Globe before successfully defending her Olympic women's Aerials title at Milano Cortina 2026.

On the men's side, Sun Jiaxu celebrated his first World Cup Crystal Globe, while Wang Xindi went on to claim Olympic gold in Livigno.

Beyond its established champions, China's depth was evident during the summer Grand Prix series.

The national program sent a 32-athlete delegation to the September competitions in Qinhuangdao, including experienced international competitors and younger athletes developing through the national system.

Chen Meiting was among the standout performers, winning both women's competitions in Qinhuangdao to secure the overall Grand Prix title.

Kong Fanyu and Yang Xinyi were also among the women identified in the Chinese delegation, while Li Tianma, Li Xinpeng, Liu Zirui, Wang Guochen and Yang Longxiao featured among the men's representatives.

The summer results underlined the strength available to China's aerials program, although its final World Cup lineup for 2026/27 has yet to be confirmed.

With established Olympic and World Cup champions alongside a substantial group of developing athletes, China will again be one of the leading nations when the aerials circuit gets underway.

Switzerland carries summer momentum into the winter

Switzerland will be looking to build on another successful summer in aerials, led by Noé Roth.

The two-time individual world champion secured his second consecutive overall Aerials Grand Prix title after winning the final competition in Qinhuangdao in September.

Roth also enjoyed an impressive Olympic campaign at Milano Cortina 2026, claiming silver in the individual men's Aerials competition before helping Switzerland take another silver in the mixed team event.

Pirmin Werner and Lina Kozomara joined Roth on the Olympic mixed team podium, adding to the bronze medal the trio claimed at the 2025 World Championships in Engadin.

Werner also enjoyed a consistent 2025/26 World Cup season, while Kozomara gained valuable experience during her first full campaign on the circuit.

Switzerland's established aerials group also includes developing athletes such as Andrin Läber, Neville Erb and Lino Wernli, although the federation's final 2026/27 squad classifications have yet to be confirmed.

With Roth already showing strong form during the summer, Switzerland will be among the nations looking to challenge China's position at the top of the aerials field.

World Cup season gets underway in December

The 2026/27 FIS Freestyle World Cup season is scheduled to begin with Moguls in Ruka, Finland, on 12 December.

Aerials will open its World Cup campaign in Lac-Beauport, Canada, on 9–10 January, before continuing to Lake Placid, United States, the following weekend.

Meanwhile, the Moguls circuit will resume in Val Saint-Côme, Canada, on 15–16 January, followed by Waterville Valley, United States, on 22–23 January.

Both disciplines will come together in Deer Valley, United States, from 28–30 January, before the World Cup tour moves to Asia in February.

Secret Garden, China, will host Aerials and Aerials Mixed Team competitions on 18–19 February, followed by Almaty, Kazakhstan, where Moguls, Dual Moguls and Aerials events are scheduled for 26–28 February.

The season will then conclude in Shahdag, Azerbaijan, from 5–7 March, where the final Crystal Globes will be decided.

Attention will then turn to the FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships Montafon 2027, scheduled for 6–21 March.

With several established champions absent, new coaching structures in place and younger athletes looking to take the next step, the opening competitions will provide the first indication of how the international field is shaping up for 2026/27.