The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships is a biennial Nordic skiing event organized by the International Ski Federation (FIS). The World Championships was started in 1924 for men and opened for women's participation in 1954. World Championship events include Nordic skiing's three disciplines: cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and Nordic combined (the latter being a combination sport consisting of both cross-country and ski jumping). The Winter Olympics from 1924 to 1980 were also the Nordic World Ski Championships. This meant that the Olympic champions were also World champions and received an additional medal from the International Ski Federation (FIS). Since 1985, the World Championships have been held in odd-numbered years.

History

The first Nordic Skiing World Championships were held in Chamonix in 1924, as part of the first Winter Olympics, which were only later recognized as such. The competitions took place annually until 1939. From 1925 to 1927, the FIS referred to the events as Rendezvous races, while in the years after that until 1935 they were held as FIS races. Since 1937, the competitions have had the official title of FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Until the 1980 Winter Olympics, the Olympic champions were also World champions.

The 1940 Nordic World Ski Championships were canceled due to the war, but this was also criticized at the time. The Italian winter sports resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo organized the 1941 Nordic World Ski Championships. However, the FIS subsequently declared these invalid at a congress in Pau in 1946, so that the medals awarded lost their official status and were no longer counted.

With the 1984 Winter Olympics, the rule that the Olympic winners were also World champions was finally abandoned. Since 1985, the Nordic World Ski Championships have taken place in odd-numbered years, independently of the Winter Olympics, in order to avoid an overlap with the Olympics.

The 1980 and 1984 World Championships consisted of a total of only three events; women's 20 km cross-country (1980), ski-jumping team event and Nordic combined team event (both 1984). These events were not held in the 1980 Winter Olympics and 1984 Winter Olympics and therefore got their own World Championships.

Historical notes

The following list shows when new events were added for the first time:

  • 1933, men's relay (cross-country) was added.
  • 1954, women's 10 km and 3 × 5 km relay was added, men's 15 km (cross-country) replaced the 18 km.
  • 1962, men's normal hill (ski jumping) and women's 5 km (cross-country) were added.
  • 1978, women's 20 km (cross-country) was added.
  • 1982, men's ski jumping team large hill and Nordic combined team large hill were added.
  • 1989, women's 15 km was added (cross-country) and women's 30 km replaced the 20 km.
  • 1991, men's 10 km (cross-country) was added.
  • 1993, cross-country pursuit (both genders) were added.
  • 2001, men's ski jumping team normal hill was added and cross-country sprint (both genders) replaced the 10 km (men) and the 5 km (women).
  • 2003, the Skiathlon format was introduced for pursuit races (previously separate races on the same day).
  • 2005, women's 30 km and men's 50 km (cross-country) changed from interval start to mass start. Additionally, cross-country team sprint (both genders) were added.
  • 2009, women's normal hill (ski jumping) was added.
  • 2011, Nordic combined team normal hill was added.
  • 2013, mixed team (ski jumping) was added and team sprint large hill (Nordic combined) replaced the team large hill.
  • 2019, women's team normal hill (ski jumping) was added.
  • 2021, women's Nordic combined with women's large hill (ski jumping) were added.
  • 2023, Nordic combined mixed team event replaced men's team sprint large hill.
  • 2025, men's 10 km replaced the 15 km (interval start, cross-country), women's 50 km replaced the 30 km (mass-start, cross-country), men's and women's 4x7,5 km replaced the men's 4x10 km and the women's 4x5 km (relay, cross-country), men's and women's 20 km replaced the men's 30 km and the women's 15 km (skiathlon, cross-country), men's compact 7,5 km replaced the Gundersen 10 km (normal hill, Nordic combined), women's mass-start 5 km + normal hill (Nordic combined) and men's and women's Para Sprint (separated from Para Cross-Country World Championships) were added.

Editions

#YearLocationDateVenueHost countryTop nationEventsNotes
—1924Chamonix25 Jan – 2 FebStade Olympique de Chamonix / Tremplin Olympique du MontFranceNorway4Declared the first Winter Olympic Games in 1926. Declared the first Nordic World Ski Championships in 1965.
11925Janské Lázně4–14 Feb—CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia4Denoted Rendezvous races
21926Lahti4–6 FebSalpausselkäFinlandNorway4Denoted Rendezvous races
31927Cortina d'Ampezzo2–5 FebTrampolino OlimpicoItalySweden4Denoted FIS races
—1928St. Moritz11–17 FebOlympic Stadium / OlympiaschanzeSwitzerlandNorway4Winter Olympic Games
41929Zakopane5–9 Feb—PolandFinland4Denoted FIS races
51930Oslo27 Feb – 1 MarHolmenkollenNorwayNorway4
61931Oberhof13–15 Feb—GermanyNorway4
—1932Lake Placid10–13 FebJames B. Sheffield Olympic Skating Rink / Lake Placid Olympic Ski Jumping ComplexUnited StatesNorway4Winter Olympic Games
71933Innsbruck8–12 FebAustriaSweden5Denoted FIS races. First with cross-country relay
81934Sollefteå20–25 FebHallstabergetSwedenNorway5Denoted FIS races
91935Vysoké Tatry13–18 FebCzechoslovakia (2)Norway5Denoted FIS races
—1936Garmisch-Partenkirchen6–15 FebOlympic Stadium / Große OlympiaschanzeGermanyNorway5Winter Olympic Games
101937Chamonix12–28 FebTremplin Olympique / Stade OlympiqueFranceNorway5First official FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
111938Lahti (2)24–28 FebSalpausselkäFinland (2)Finland5
121939Zakopane (2)11–19 Feb—Poland (2)Finland5
—1941Cortina d'Ampezzo1–10 FebTrampolino OlimpicoItalyFinland5Declared unofficial in 1946
—1948St. Moritz31 Jan – 7 FebOlympic Stadium / OlympiaschanzeSwitzerlandSweden5Winter Olympic Games
131950Lake Placid (SJ) Rumford (XC)1–6 FebIntervales —United StatesSweden5First championship outside Europe
—1952Oslo17–24 FebHolmenkollbakkenNorwayFinland6Winter Olympic Games
141954Falun13–21 FebLugnetSweden (2)Soviet Union8First championship with women
—1956Cortina d'Ampezzo27 Jan – 5 FebStadio della neve / Trampolino OlimpicoItalyFinland8Winter Olympic Games
151958Lahti (3)1–9 MarSalpausselkäFinland (3)Finland8
—1960Squaw Valley19–27 FebMcKinney Creek Stadium / Papoose Peak JumpsUnited StatesFinland8Winter Olympic Games
161962Zakopane (3)18–25 Feb—Poland (3)Soviet Union10First with normal hill
—1964Innsbruck Seefeld in Tirol18–28 FebBergiselschanze / Toni-Seelos-Olympiaschanze / Olympiaregion SeefeldAustriaFinland10Winter Olympic Games
171966Oslo (2)17–27 FebHolmenkollenNorway (2)Norway10
—1968Grenoble7–18 FebDauphine / Le Claret / AustransFranceNorway10Winter Olympic Games
181970Vysoké Tatry (2)14–22 FebŠtrbské plesoCzechoslovakia (3)Soviet Union10
—1972Sapporo5–13 Feb—JapanSoviet Union10Winter Olympic Games
191974Falun (2)16–24 FebLugnetSweden (3)East Germany10
—1976Innsbruck Seefeld in Tirol7–15 FebBergiselschanze / Toni-Seelos-Olympiaschanze / Olympiaregion SeefeldAustriaSoviet Union10Winter Olympic Games
201978Lahti (4)18–26 FebSalpausselkäFinland (4)Soviet Union11
—1980Lake Placid14–23 FebLake Placid Olympic Ski Jumping Complex / Olympic Sports ComplexUnited StatesSoviet Union10Winter Olympic Games. Last Winter Olympics, which were also considered the Nordic World Ski Championships
211980Falun (3)8 MarLugnetSweden (4)East Germany1Non-Olympic event
221982Oslo (3)19–28 FebHolmenkollenNorway (3)Norway13First with team large hill/Nordic combined relay
231984Engelberg (SJ) Rovaniemi (NC)26 Feb 17 MarGross-Titlis-Schanze –Switzerland Finland (5)Finland2Non-Olympic events
241985Seefeld16–27 JanSeefeld Nordic Competence Centre / Bergiselschanze in InnsbruckAustria (2)Norway13
251987Oberstdorf12–21 FebSchattenberg Ski Jump / BirgsautalWest GermanySweden13
261989Lahti (5)17–26 FebSalpausselkä / Lahti StadiumFinland (6)Finland15
271991Val di Fiemme7–17 FebLago di Tesero / Trampolino dal BenItaly (2)Norway15First with 10 km cross-country (men)
281993Falun (4)19–28 FebLugnetSweden (5)Norway15First with pursuit
291995Thunder Bay9–19 MarBig ThunderCanadaRussia15
301997Trondheim21 Feb – 2 MarGranåsen Ski CentreNorway (4)Russia15
311999Ramsau19–28 FebRamsau am Dachstein / Paul-Ausserleitner-Schanze in BischofshofenAustria (3)Norway16First with 10 km/large hill
322001Lahti (6)15–25 FebSalpausselkä / Lahti StadiumFinland (7)Norway19First with team normal hill; first with sprint
332003Val di Fiemme (2)18 Feb – 1 MarLago di Tesero / Trampolino dal BenItaly (3)Norway18
342005Oberstdorf (2)16–27 FebSchattenberg Ski Jump / RiedGermany (2)Norway19First with team sprint
352007Sapporo22 Feb – 4 MarMiyanomori / Okurayama / Shirahatayama / Sapporo DomeJapanNorway18
362009Liberec18 Feb – 1 MarJeštěd / VesecCzech RepublicNorway20First with ski jumping for women; only with Nordic combined mass start
372011Oslo (4)23 Feb – 6 MarHolmenkollenNorway (5)Norway21First with Nordic combined normal hill relay
382013Val di Fiemme (3)20 Feb – 3 MarLago di Tesero / Trampolino dal BenItaly (4)Norway21First with mixed team ski jumping First with Nordic combined large hill team sprint
392015Falun (5)18 Feb – 1 MarLugnetSweden (6)Norway21
402017Lahti (7)22 Feb – 5 MarSalpausselkä / Lahti StadiumFinland (8)Norway21
412019Seefeld (2)20 Feb – 3 MarSeefeld Nordic Competence Centre / Bergiselschanze in InnsbruckAustria (4)Norway22First with women's team ski jumping
422021Oberstdorf (3)24 Feb – 7 MarSchattenberg Ski Jump / RiedGermany (3)Norway24First with women's nordic combined individual race First with women's ski jumping large hill
432023Planica22 Feb – 5 MarPlanica Nordic CentreSloveniaNorway24First with Nordic combined mixed team event
442025Trondheim (2)26 Feb – 9 MarGranåsen Ski CentreNorway (6)Norway25+6First with women's mass-start 5 km + normal hill (Nordic combined), men's and women's para sprint events
452027Falun (6)24 Feb – 7 MarLugnetSweden (7)
462029Lahti (8)Salpausselkä / Lahti StadiumFinland (9)

Medalists by sport

Medal table

Table updated after the 2025 Championships. The medals won at the 13 Winter Olympics (from 1924 through 1980) are not included into this table. The medals won at the para cross-country events (in 2025) are also not included.

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Norway184141132457
2Finland637470207
3Sweden585358169
4Germany395333125
5Soviet Union36322492
6Austria283342103
7Russia26323189
8East Germany12151138
9Poland1271332
10Italy11242459
11Japan11142146
12Slovenia85922
13United States85720
14Czechoslovakia7121130
15France641525
16Switzerland471021
17West Germany4127
18Czech Republic36615
19Estonia35210
20Kazakhstan3249
21Canada3137
22Russia Russian Ski Federation1315
23Spain1102
24Yugoslavia1001
25Belarus0101
Slovakia0101
27Ukraine0022
Totals (27 entries)5325325311,595

Multiple medalists

Boldface denotes active athletes and highest medal count among all athletes (including these who not included in these tables) per type.

All events

RankAthleteCountryGenderDisciplineFromToGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Marit BjørgenNorwayFCross-country skiing20032017185326
2Johannes Høsflot KlæboNorwayMCross-country skiing20172025152118
3Therese JohaugNorwayFCross-country skiing20072025145423
4Yelena VälbeSoviet Union RussiaFCross-country skiing19891997143–17
5Petter NorthugNorwayMCross-country skiing20072015133–16
6Larisa Lazutina (Ptitsyna)Soviet Union RussiaFCross-country skiing19872001113216
7Jarl Magnus RiiberNorwayMNordic combined20192025113115
8Bjørn DæhlieNorwayMCross-country skiing1991199995317
9Thomas MorgensternAustriaMSki jumping2005201382111
10Eric FrenzelGermanyMNordic combined2011202378318

Individual events

Men

RankAthleteCountryDisciplineFromToGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Johannes Høsflot KlæboNorwayCross-country skiing2017202572110
2Petter NorthugNorwayCross-country skiing2009201572–9
3Jarl Magnus RiiberNorwayNordic combined2019202561–7
4Bjørn DæhlieNorwayCross-country skiing1991199954312
5Gunde SvanSwedenCross-country skiing1985199152–7
6Vladimir SmirnovSoviet Union KazakhstanCross-country skiing1989199543310
7Mika MyllyläFinlandCross-country skiing199519994228
8Ronny AckermannGermanyNordic combined200120074116
Adam MałyszPolandSki jumping200120114116
10Eric FrenzelGermanyNordic combined201120193115
Johannes RydzekGermanyNordic combined201120173115

Women

RankAthleteCountryDisciplineFromToGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Marit BjørgenNorwayCross-country skiing20032017124117
2Therese JohaugNorwayCross-country skiing20072025103417
3Yelena VälbeSoviet Union RussiaCross-country skiing19891997102–12
4Larisa Lazutina (Ptitsyna)Soviet Union RussiaCross-country skiing1987200153210
5Bente Skari (Martinsen)NorwayCross-country skiing199920035––5
6Stefania BelmondoItalyCross-country skiing199119994419
7Alevtina KolchinaSoviet UnionCross-country skiing1958196641–5
8Ebba AnderssonSwedenCross-country skiing202120254–37
9Galina KulakovaSoviet UnionCross-country skiing197019803115
10Gyda Westvold HansenNorwayNordic combined2021202531–4

TV broadcasters

Eurosport (75 countries) Match TV (Russia) ORF (Austria) Eesti Media (Estonia) YLE (Finland) ARD/ZDF (Germany) NRK (Norway) Viaplay/TV6 (Sweden) SRG/SSR (Switzerland) RUV (Iceland) NBC (USA) TVP (Poland) Rai Sport (Italia) L'equipe (France) CBC (Canada) CT Sport (Czech Republic) JOJ Sport (Slovakia) RTV Slovenija (Slovenia)

See also

External links