Absurd decision by FIS just before the start of the season. Another blow to ski jumping

This decision has sparked much controversy! Starting from the 2026/2027 season, the competition calendars for men and women will be unified. This was announced by the World Cup director Sandro Pertile at this year's Nordicum Forum. The Italian explains that the aim is to develop women's ski jumping, but there is also a clear underlying motive of cutting costs. This revolutionary idea could indeed prove to be a serious blow to the discipline, as it could lead to the potential downfall of some ski centers.

At this year's Nordicum Forum, World Cup director Sandro Pertile announced that the calendars for male and female competitors will be integrated starting from the 2026/2027 season. The announcement has caused significant controversy within the ski jumping world. There are concerns that certain ski facilities may lose the right to host events, which could lead to a decrease in interest in the sport in certain regions.

For instance, Ljubno in Slovenia is highlighted as an example. The local ski jumping facility annually hosts women's competitions, but integrating the calendars may likely exclude the town from being among the event organizers.

"In Ljubno, they had recently been planning to expand the complex with a small and a large hill (flooding strongly disrupted those plans), and now they face the looming threat of losing the women's World Cup. FIS should cling tightly to such locations where there is still enthusiasm, but wisdom seems lacking in FIS," reads a comment from the inSJders profile.

Similar conclusions were drawn by TVP Sport journalist Mateusz Leleń. "The integration of the women's and men's World Cup locations will likely lead to scenarios that will end places like Ljubno. With a K85 and a population of 6000, hosting two female events from the very first edition, the chances for any men's competition are slim. But perhaps reality will verify Pertile's plans," he wrote.

Ljubno likely won't be the only center affected by FIS's decision. As a result, but not only for this reason, the decision has faced criticism from numerous experts. Polish Ski Association president Adam Małysz also shared his thoughts on the matter.

The specific schedule for the revolutionary season will be revealed next autumn. However, the number of joint events will increase from seven to ten starting in 2025. In this season, both men and women will compete together in Lillehammer, Engelberg, Willingen, Lake Placid, Oslo, Vikersund, and Lahti. Next year, the competitions in Falun, Wisła, and Trondheim will be added to the mix.

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