Four Hills Tournament set to host maiden women’s edition in 2026/27
Jan 04, 2026·Ski Jumping
The 75th anniversary of the Four Hills Tournament in 2026/27 is set to be a truly historic edition, as the pinnacle of the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup calendar will, for the first time, fully include a women’s competition.
To date, women have competed in the Two Nights Tour across the German venues of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Oberstdorf, but have not been part of the Austrian legs of the Four Hills Tournament.
This was due to the lack of infrastructure required to stage nighttime competitions in Innsbruck, which is necessary for a schedule accommodating both genders.
This Sunday, the State of Tyrol, the Austrian Government, the City of Innsbruck, and Ski Austria agreed on the terms to finance the construction of floodlights at the Bergisel ski jumping hill, paving the way for a fully fledged Women’s Four Hills Tournament.
A true milestone
“Finally incorporating the women’s competition into the Four Hills Tournament marks a true milestone in the history of Ski Jumping and winter sports as a whole,” said FIS President Johan Eliasch. “In recent years, FIS has shown unwavering commitment to closing the gender gap in snow sports, taking significant steps to advance women’s Ski Jumping. The progress is evident, and today’s announcement stands as a powerful testament to these efforts.”
The prospect of a long-awaited presence at the Four Hills Tournament brought optimism to athletes like Katharina Schmid (GER). “Even though I won't be competing myself anymore, I'm really excited about the women's Four Hills Tournament coming in 2026/27 – it's a long overdue step", Schmid said. "It's great that floodlights are now being installed in Innsbruck – that's another important piece of the puzzle for a women's tournament at all four locations.”
FIS Race Director Sandro Pertile also welcomed the news and outlined the next steps: “It’s great news for our sport. We will meet with both federations, the four host cities, and all other stakeholders shortly after the Olympic Games to clarify all details and the necessary rule adjustments.”
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