As the crisp autumn air gives way to the roar of crowds on the Rettenbach Glacier, the 2025-26 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season officially launches this weekend in Sölden, with American superstar Mikaela Shiffrin setting the tone of anticipation and resolve. In a social media post that quickly garnered thousands of likes and shares, Shiffrin wrote: “Here we go again”: The 2025-26 world cup season kicks off with alpine this weekend in solden. The message, shared just days before the races, encapsulates the 30-year-old’s trademark blend of enthusiasm and steely focus as she eyes another dominant campaign leading into the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.
The season opener, a tradition dating back decades, features giant slalom events for both men and women on the glacier’s challenging course. Women’s competition kicks off Saturday, October 25, at 10:00 a.m. CET, followed by the men’s races on Sunday, October 26, at the same start time. With early-season snow conditions expected to be firm and fast—thanks to recent artificial enhancements and favorable weather forecasts—athletes from over 20 nations are poised for a high-stakes battle that often foreshadows overall season standings.
Shiffrin, a six-time overall World Cup champion and record holder with 97 career victories, enters the season as the athlete to beat in the technical disciplines. Coming off a 2024-25 campaign where she secured her third Olympic gold in the slalom at Milano Cortina—edging out Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener by a mere 0.07 seconds—she’s been vocal about her refined training regimen this summer. “It’s about consistency and adapting to the new gear,” Shiffrin told reporters at a pre-season press event in Colorado last month. Her post about Sölden, laced with an underscore for emphasis, hints at the personal stakes: the Rettenbach course has been a launchpad for many of her historic runs, including her first World Cup win in 2012 at age 16.
On the men’s side, Swiss sensation Marco Odermatt arrives as the defending overall champion and a favorite to extend his reign. Odermatt, who clinched his third consecutive Crystal Globe last season with a record-breaking 2,013 points, dominated the giant slalom calendar in 2024-25, winning seven of 10 starts. “Sölden is where legends are made—or broken,” Odermatt said in a recent interview with Swiss broadcaster SRF. “I’m hungry for more.” Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen and French veteran Alexis Pinturault, both with podium histories here, will challenge for early momentum, while rising stars like Norway’s Lucas Braathen—now competing under the Brazilian flag—add an element of unpredictability.
This year’s calendar, approved by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) in June and fine-tuned in September, promises a grueling yet optimized tour of 75 individual races across 38 venues. Highlights include a North American swing in late November featuring Copper Mountain, Colorado—returning after a 20-year absence—and classic European stops like Val d’Isère, France; Adelboden, Switzerland; and Kitzbühel, Austria. The season will pause briefly for the Olympics in February before resuming with the Finals in Lillehammer, Norway, from March 19-25, marking the host nation’s first such event since 2003.
Beyond the elite competition, Sölden is pulling out all the stops for spectators. The village’s opening weekend festivities include live music from Austrian DJs, fan zones with autograph sessions, and a “Crystal Globe” exhibit showcasing past winners’ hardware. Organizers expect over 20,000 attendees, bolstered by improved shuttle services from Innsbruck airport. For global viewers, coverage streams live on Peacock, NBC Sports, and the FIS’s skiandsnowboard.live platform, with select events airing on linear TV in key markets.
As gates drop on the Rettenbach, all eyes will be on whether Shiffrin can channel her “here we go again” spirit into bib number one, and if Odermatt’s precision can withstand the glacier’s unforgiving ice. In alpine skiing, where milliseconds separate glory from heartbreak, Sölden rarely disappoints as the ultimate proving ground. The 2025-26 season has begun—and with it, the chase for immortality on snow.
