Overview
- The FIS Council approved the change at a two‑day congress in Thun on Thursday, setting the model to start in 2032 while leaving open a possible pilot or 'bonus' world championships in 2028.
- The decision covers six FIS disciplines — Alpine, Cross‑Country, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, Freestyle and Snowboard — broadening the years those sports can award world titles.
- Key national bodies and athletes reacted quickly: the German Ski Association (DSV) is cautiously open, the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV) warned of title inflation and economic strain, and top skier Johannes Høsflot Klæbo expressed skepticism about annual WMs.
- FIS said the move follows a preliminary feasibility study that highlighted sporting value, calendar fit and commercial/media potential and that the federation will further study event clustering for sustainability and a cross‑discipline wildcard framework.
- Organizers and athletes face clear tradeoffs because annual non‑Olympic WMs could raise TV revenue and medal chances while increasing athlete workload, squeezing the World Cup calendar and raising cost and hosting risks for many venues.