FIS Freeride World Championships 2026
The FIS Freeride World Championships Officially Announced for 2026 in Andorra
A Historic Milestone: The World’s Best Freeriders to Compete for World Champion Snowboard Titles Under FIS Authority
The inaugural FIS Freeride World Championships is set to take place in Andorra in February 2026. This event reinforces the official integration of freeride snowboarding under the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), solidifying its status as a globally recognized discipline. The competition day will be selected within a six-day weather window (February 1–6, 2026) to ensure the best possible conditions for a fair and safe competition.
Qualification: A Rigorous Path to the Top
The qualification process ensures that the world’s top freeride athletes have the opportunity to
compete while guaranteeing diverse representation from nations around the globe. Athletes will qualify
through one of five groups:
- FWT Pro Ranking: Athletes qualify based on the FWT Pro Ranking 2025, which is
determined by their best four results out of six events (or less depending on cancellations). - Continental Quotas: One qualification quota per competition is allocated to each of the
following five regions: Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America—awarded
to the highest-ranked athlete from each region on the Qualifying Global Seeding List. - NSA Quotas: Additional spots are allocated to National Ski Associations (NSAs) based on the
Nations Ranking, provided they have limited or no athletes already qualified through earlier
categories. - Wildcards: FIS Freeride allocates one wildcard per competition to address special cases such
as injuries, media relevance, or national interest. - Host Nation Wildcard: One wildcard across the four competitions is granted by the host NSA
to a local athlete, who must meet all eligibility criteria and hold citizenship of the host nation.
The qualification period runs from May 1, 2024 to April 30, 2025. Results from the FWT Pro,
Challenger, and Qualifier series—as well as Junior events—will contribute to the Qualifying Global
Seeding List, which determines athletes and nations rankings. Athletes at the top of this list and those
with standout performances in specific regions will secure their places in Andorra. Each National Ski
Association (NSA) can send a maximum of 12 athletes (excluding Wildcards), with a quota of up to 3
athletes per competition category. The full roster of qualified athletes will be published on September
16, 2025, following the conclusion of the qualification process.
Event Format
The FIS Freeride World Championships will take place over a single day. Athletes in Snowboard Men and Snowboard Women competitions will have one run to showcase their skill, creativity, and precision on challenging terrain. Riders begin at a designated start gate and navigate to the finish line, selecting their own line through natural obstacles along the way. Judges will score each run based on five criteria: line choice, control, fluidity, technique, and air & style. With no room for error, this high-stakes format demands peak performance under pressure, as athletes compete for the prestigious World Champion title.
