Nordic Combined at the Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026 Road to Milano Cortina 2026

[Totallympics 78]

Nordic Combined at the Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026

 

Predazzo/Tesero (ITA) - 5 February 2026 - 19 February 2026

 

 

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Edited October 2 by Sindo

[George_D 1,473]

 Nordic combined mmight be dropped from Olympic program in 2030

 

https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1154709/nordic-combined-at-risk-of-extinction

[Monzanator 4,768]

Winter sports are 'narrow' by design. The same nations tend to do well in every winter sport over & over again (some exceptions like South Korea & Pays Bas in speed skating/short track). Women doing nordic combined hasn't looked well since its inception, competitive gaps are huge and there's no way to fix this overnight. Besides, how many failed cc skiers take up NC just to boost their chances in the inferior rivalry? Story as old as the sport itself.

 

IOC might want to turn WOG into X Games but they are destined to fail in their diversity chase. Most of Asia, Africa & South America will always be a footnote in Winter Games.

[JoshMartini007 2,762]

While winter sports are narrow, Nordic Combined is clearly the least diverse sport at the Winter Olympics. Their main draw is that they reuse existing venues so they cost almost nothing to host while the lack of women's events have painted a target on their back. The good news is they now have a women's world cup events which is a lot better than Bobsled creating women's monobob without creating a world cup until just before the Olympics.

 

Besides ski mountaineering there really isn't much competition for new sports at the Olympics.

[NearPup 3,480]

1 hour ago, JoshMartini007 said:

Besides ski mountaineering there really isn't much competition for new sports at the Olympics.

There are a few potential candidates. Cross country running and cyclo cross are sports that would fit well in the Winter Olympics if the IOC ever wanted to go that direction, the FIS will absolutely make a push to add freeride in 2030 and ice climbing could also be a realistic option.

 

I’ve assumed Nordic Combined was likely going to be removed in 2030 ever since the IOC announced the 2026 event program. There is no other good reason to deeply cut the field size and to not allow a women’s event. Even the rational the IOC have sounded like they were keeping it for one more Olympic as a courtesy.

 

I hope I’m wrong and that Nordic Combined stays, but I do not think that’s a realistic option unless the IOC is willing to go over the very restrictive 2900 athlete quota (which they absolutely should IMO). With the gender equality push and the modernization of the program the athlete quota simply needs to grow a little bit.

Edited August 26 by NearPup

[De_Gambassi 1,267]

If we learned anything from the 30 last years or so it is that is very difficult for IOC to actually cut anything from the program. Modern Pentathlon, Wrestling, Canoe slalom, Boxing, were all in the execution waiting room at some point but managed to survive. It seems the internal olympics dynamics basically prevent for a sport to ever be excluded.

 

Besides, the tensions around the winter program are a lot less heavy. IMO, Nordic Combined will survive.

[NearPup 3,480]

11 minutes ago, De_Gambassi said:

If we learned anything from the 30 last years or so it is that is very difficult for IOC to actually cut anything from the program. Modern Pentathlon, Wrestling, Canoe slalom, Boxing, were all in the execution waiting room at some point but managed to survive. It seems the internal olympics dynamics basically prevent for a sport to ever be excluded.

 

Besides, the tensions around the winter program are a lot less heavy. IMO, Nordic Combined will survive.

And even Baseball/Softball, which has a lot going against it (not gender equal, no MLB players and baseball has the highest roster size of any team sport), was *barely* removed (IIRC Softball was within a vote or two from being re-included immediately for 2012), and it's still been included 2/3 times since we've moved to having optional sports. And before that we have to go back all the way to 1920 to see an established (had been in a few Olympics in a row) sport be removed (tug of war).

 

Hopefully you're right.

[De_Gambassi 1,267]

20 minutes ago, NearPup said:

And even Baseball/Softball, which has a lot going against it (not gender equal, no MLB players and baseball has the highest roster size of any team sport), was *barely* removed (IIRC Softball was within a vote or two from being re-included immediately for 2012), and it's still been included 2/3 times since we've moved to having optional sports. And before that we have to go back all the way to 1920 to see an established (had been in a few Olympics in a row) sport be removed (tug of war).

 

Hopefully you're right.

So not in 30 years, but over 100  And it's not like cutting sports is a new discussion either. Critics of the 'gigantism' of the Olympics trying to cut stuff left and right of the program have always been there. It basically never actually happen. 

Edited August 26 by De_Gambassi

[Monzanator 4,768]

Gender equality is a myth. The overall athletes quota is what matters the most. In SOG they literally removed the most exciting women's event in sailing to create a mixed event in the same class (470). 

 

Sailing is another sport on the chopping block IMO, many events but it's basically one athlete per event which balloons the quota (unlike swimming or gymnastics). Worst nightmare for IOC and the discipline itself.

[JoshMartini007 2,762]

1 hour ago, Monzanator said:

Sailing is another sport on the chopping block IMO, many events but it's basically one athlete per event which balloons the quota (unlike swimming or gymnastics). Worst nightmare for IOC and the discipline itself.

Sailing is fine. There are so many sports which basically have one athlete per event. Using that logic rowing would be in much more danger.

 

All sports have their pros and cons, but when it comes down to it, it is very difficult to find enough people to vote something out which is why only baseball/softball was cut in the last 100 years. Even then, it looks like baseball/softball will show up whenever the host country wants it.