Nordic Combined Committee approves key updates for 2026/27

The Nordic Combined Committee met during the FIS Technical Fall Meetings in Geneva (SUI) on Thursday, 1 October 2026. 

The Committee reviewed the upcoming World Cup and Continental Cup season, discussed the work of the Task Force 2034 and approved several updates to competition rules, prize money and future development measures. 

The decisions of the Committee remain subject to approval by the FIS Council. 

New Format: Individual Prolog 

A new Individual Prolog format was confirmed for the second Nordic Combined competition in Lake Placid (USA). 

The competition starts with a 3 km cross-country race, with athletes starting individually at 15-second intervals. The start order is based on the World Cup ranking, with the yellow bib starting last. 

The cross-country times are then converted into points before one Ski Jumping round determines the final result. The World Cup competition will also serve as the qualification race for the subsequent VSL test event. 

Lake Placid and Velocity Ski League 

The Committee was presented with the concept for the Nordic Combined weekend in Lake Placid, which will include a test event of the new Velocity Ski League (VSL). 

The event will be held alongside the Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping World Cups and will test a new competition concept designed to create a compact and attractive event. 

The VSL competition itself will not be a FIS World Cup event, although a jury and equipment control will be in place. A first test of the concept is planned during the US National Championships in October 2026.

Women’s Prize Money 

Prize money for the Women’s Nordic Combined World Cup will continue to increase by 10% in each of the next three seasons. 

As previously decided by the FIS Council, the minimum prize money for women is to reach at least 50% of the men’s level by 2030. 

FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships 

A Provisional Competition Round (PCR) will be introduced for the Team Sprint at the FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships. 

Initially proposed only for the upcoming JWSC in Otepää (EST), the Committee decided to include the procedure in the rules for all future FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships. 

Task Force 2034 

The Committee received an update from the Task Force 2034, which was established following the IOC decision concerning Nordic Combined and the Olympic Winter Games. 

A new competition concept has been developed to make Nordic Combined more compact, with the aim of staging the different parts of a competition at one venue and within a shorter time frame. 

The new format could be tested at either World Cup or Continental Cup level. 

Reducing the overall costs of Nordic Combined will also be a major topic at the next Task Force meeting, including equipment costs and other measures aimed at making participation more affordable.