The International Biathlon Union (IBU) is pleased to announce that three world-class biathlon venues have submitted applications to host the IBU World Championships for the years 2028 and 2029 reinforcing the international appeal and long-term sustainability of the flagship event. Hochfilzen (Austria), Kontiolahti (Finland), and Oslo-Holmenkollen (Norway) are each bidding for the 2028 and 2029 editions.

The three candidates vying for the honor of hosting the Biathlon World Championships all have strong traditions of organising successful biathlon events. Hochfilzen regularly features as the second stop on the World Cup circuit and last hosted the IBU World Championships in 2017. Kontiolahti too has been a mainstay in the World Cup, opening the season twice in the last four years. The venue last hosted the IBU World Championships in 2015. Oslo’s historic Holmenkollen Ski Arena has often been the location of the World Cup season closer and last played host to the IBU World Championships in 2016.

Following their applications, candidates will undergo a thorough evaluation process. The venues are required to submit detailed candidate profiles, highlighting their facilities, organisational capabilities, sustainability plans, and commitment to promoting biathlon. An evaluation commission from the International Biathlon Union will visit each candidate venue. They will assess the infrastructure, logistics, and overall suitability for hosting a world-class event. The final decision regarding the hosts for the IBU World Championships Biathlon 2028 and 2029 will be made by the IBU Congress in Belgrade, Serbia, 26-29 September 2024.

The IBU World Championships Nove Mesto 2024 broke records in fan attendance and fan engagement reinforcing the ever-growing popularity of biathlon. The Championships, which took place on 7-18 February 2024, saw 210,000 spectators attend to cheer on their favourite biathlon stars during two weeks of thrilling action. The excitement on the snow translated into record engagement across the IBU’s social media channels, with 3.5 million engagements during the Championships – a 75% increase on last year. Video views across all platforms were up by 200% reaching 30 million and impressions over doubled to 59 million. Television audiences were also up with an average live audience of up to 10 million per competition. The World Championships 2025 are held in Lenzerheide (Switzerland), the 2027 edition is hosted by Otepaa (Estonia).

Photo: IBU/Manzoni