Petter Northug to Compete for Liechtenstein at the Cortina Olympics

Petter Northug confirms in the latest episode of the TV 2 podcast, B-laget, that he dreams of participating in the Cortina Olympics in 2026 for the small nation of Liechtenstein. He stated that there is a 20 percent chance of seeing him at the Olympics. When asked if he is seriously considering this Olympic endeavor for Liechtenstein, Northug answered, "Yes, I am."

He is currently in the process of obtaining citizenship for the nation with a population of just over 40,000. Northug believes it would be incredibly exciting to experience another Olympics, and he feels that 2026 is the right time, as 2030 will be too late.

Former rival Ilja Tshernousov, who is now a coach in Liechtenstein, could be a significant advantage for Northug. The 38-year-old thinks the location of Liechtenstein is ideal as he heads into the 2026 Cortina Olympics. Northug officially retired from skiing in 2018, but in recent years he has been ramping up his training again. This has sparked significant interest around whether the ski star might appear at the upcoming World Championships in Trondheim in 2025, although he himself stated that the probability of participating there sits at just one percent.