FIL Announces the Race Calendar for the 2025/2026 Olympic Season

Berchtesgaden (FIL/23 Sep 2024) The International Luge Federation (FIL) has announced its race calendar for the 2025/2026 Olympic season today – earlier than ever before. The season will be marked by the XXV Olympic Winter Games, taking place from February 6 to 22, 2026, in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The Olympic Games will officially open with a grand ceremony in Milan on February 6, 2026.

World Cup Opener in Innsbruck-Igls

The season kicks off in December 2025 with a total of nine World Cup events. The opening race of the EBERSPAECHER World Cup 2025/2026 will take place from December 5 to 7, 2025, in Innsbruck-Igls (AUT), where athletes will compete on the newly rebuilt Olympic track for the first time. Over the past two years, the famous ice track has undergone modernization costing nearly 28 million euros, now featuring a new women’s and doubles start, a revamped finish area and finish house, and redesigned lower curves of the track.

Olympic Qualification in Austria, USA, Latvia, and Germany

After the World Cup opener in Tyrol, the luge circuit moves to the USA. From December 11 to 13, athletes will compete in Park City, Utah, followed by Lake Placid, New York, from December 19 to 21, for World Cup points and Olympic qualification. After a short holiday break, the world’s top lugers will head to Sigulda, Latvia, from January 2 to 4, 2026, for crucial Olympic qualifying races. The fifth World Cup event of the season will take place in Winterberg, Germany, from January 9 to 11, after which the final nominations for the Olympic Winter Games will be made.

Race Highlights in Germany

Following the conclusion of the Olympic qualification races, the sixth EBERSPAECHER World Cup will be held on the modern track at Lotto Thüringen EisArena Oberhof from January 16 to 18, 2026. Another highlight of the season is the much-anticipated comeback of the traditional Koenigssee track, which was severely damaged by a storm in the summer of 2021. After extensive restoration costing 53 million euros, the track will be re-opened and will host the seventh World Cup of the season from January 23 to 25, 2026.

Olympic Winter Games 2026 in Milan-Cortina

The Olympic luge competitions will take place from February 7 to 12, 2026. The men's singles will kick off the events on February 7 and 8 with two runs per day. This will be followed by the women's singles on February 9 and 10, also with four runs. For the first time in Olympic history, the women’s doubles event will be held on the same day as the men’s doubles on February 11, 2026, with two runs each to decide the Olympic medals. The final luge event, the exciting team relay, will conclude the competition on February 12.

Olympic Season Finale with Two Challenging World Cup Events

The 2026 Olympic season will culminate in two outstanding World Cup events that will once again challenge the world’s best lugers on demanding tracks. From February 27 to March 1, 2026, athletes will gather on the traditional natural ice track of St. Moritz-Celerina in Switzerland. Here, not only skill and speed but also adaptability to natural conditions will be key to success.

The Olympic season will then conclude from March 6 to 8, 2026, in Altenberg, Saxony, one of the most technically demanding tracks in the world. The final World Cup points of the season will be awarded, and the coveted JOSKA crystal globes will be presented to the overall winners of the EBERSPAECHER World Cup series.

These two World Cup races offer a spectacular finish to the 2025/2026 luge season, in which athletes will once again push their limits after the Olympic Winter Games in Italy to secure their top rankings.

The International Luge Federation is eagerly anticipating an exciting season, which will reach its peak with the 2026 Winter Olympics. The luge world can look forward to numerous high-caliber competitions.

World Cup Calendar for the 2025/2026 Season

EBERSPAECHER World Cup Innsbruck (AUT) – December 5 to 7, 2025
EBERSPAECHER World Cup Park City (USA) – December 11 to 13, 2025
EBERSPÄCHER World Cup Lake Placid (USA) – December 19 to 21, 2025
EBERSPAECHER World Cup Sigulda (LAT) – January 2 to 4, 2026
EBERSPAECHER World Cup Winterberg (GER) – January 9 to 11, 2026
EBERSPAECHER World Cup Oberhof (GER) – January 16 to 18, 2026
EBERSPAECHER World Cup Koenigssee (GER) – January 23 to 25, 2026

XXV OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES MILAN-CORTINA (ITA) – February 7 to 12, 2026

EBERSPAECHER World Cup St. Moritz (SUI) – February 27 to March 1, 2026
EBERSPAECHER World Cup Altenberg (GER) – March 6 to 8, 2026

The host cities Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo were selected as venues for the XXV Olympic Winter Games on June 24, 2019, in Lausanne. These games promise to be a special highlight in the luge calendar, set against a stunning backdrop and with historic tracks.

Further information on the World Cup and the Olympic Games can be found online at the official FIL website: www.fil-luge.org .