How biathlon qualification for the 2026 Winter Olympics will work

With less than a year remaining until the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, qualification events are already beginning in various sports. How will the selection process work in biathlon?

The qualification system has been established and primarily relies on the Nations Cup standings from the 2024/2025 season. The top three teams in both the men’s and women’s categories will be allowed to send six athletes each. Teams ranked fourth through tenth will be allowed five athletes, while those finishing between 11th and 20th will qualify four athletes.

The final twelve spots in each category will be filled individually, based on the IBU qualification points list, with a maximum of two spots per country for those that have not yet qualified.

Even with a quota of five or six athletes, each nation can enter a maximum of four athletes per discipline. An exception is the mass start, where up to six athletes may compete.

For example, after eight scoring races in the 2024/2025 season, the top three teams in the men’s Nations Cup standings are Norway, France, and Sweden. In the women’s standings, France, Sweden, and Germany occupy the top spots. These nations will each be able to send six biathletes to the Olympics.

Previously, the biathlon competition schedule for the 2026 Winter Olympics was published.