IBU World Championships Biathlon 2031 awarded to Östersund, Sweden – Kontiolahti’s bid falls short this time

Kontiolahti, Finland, was a candidate to host the 2031 Championships alongside Östersund, Sweden. The host venue was elected by the IBU Congress on Friday, 18 September, in Berchtesgaden, Germany. 

"We congratulate Östersund on being awarded the Championships. They are an experienced and highly respected organizer of international biathlon events, and I am confident they will deliver an excellent World Championships," says Jaakko Puurula, President of the Finnish Biathlon Federation. 

"For us, the bidding process demonstrated that Finnish biathlon has both the ambition and the expertise to organize major international sport events. Although the Championships will not come to Kontiolahti this time, the work invested in the bid has created valuable foundations that will continue to benefit the development of Finnish biathlon in the years ahead," Puurula adds. 

Kontiolahti continues its strong event development 

Kontiolahti has previously hosted the IBU World Championships Biathlon 1999 and 2015, as well as numerous IBU World Cup events. In recent years, significant efforts have been made to further develop the competition venue, spectator experience, and the extensive collaboration surrounding the event. 

"Naturally, we are disappointed by the outcome. A great deal of work went into the bid, and we succeeded in bringing together people and organizations around a shared goal. A clear sign of that support was the 10,000 conditionally sold event tickets secured ahead of the decision. At the same time, we can be proud of what we achieved together," says Sami Leinonen, Event Manager of the Kontiolahti World Cup events. 

"Kontiolahti's strengths do not disappear because of this decision. We have a proven competition organization, an engaged audience, a dedicated volunteer community, and extensive experience in hosting international events. These are strong foundations on which to continue building for the future," Leinonen continues.
 

A strong foundation for the future 

In its bid for the 2031 World Championships, Kontiolahti highlighted the long-term impact the event could have on the visibility of biathlon, growth of the fan base, participation in the sport, and the international visibility of North Karelia and Eastern Finland. 

Throughout the bidding process, the Finnish project brought together a broad network of partners from sport, the public sector, business, tourism, education, and research. Recent World Cup events in Kontiolahti have also demonstrated the region's strong spectator base and its ability to deliver major international events through close cooperation. 

"The World Cup in March once again demonstrated the strength of the biathlon community here. A full main stand, a great atmosphere, and broad cooperation do not happen by accident. Those are strengths we should continue to build on moving forward from this decision," says Leinonen. 

Looking ahead 

Kontiolahti will continue to host international biathlon events and further develop its event infrastructure and operations. The partnerships and networks established during the World Championships bid process also provide a strong platform for future cooperation. 

"Kontiolahti will continue to be one of the international hubs of biathlon. Our focus now turns to the next competitions and to how we can continue developing our events through them," Leinonen concludes. 

Attention now turns to the upcoming IBU World Cup season, which will begin in Kontiolahti on 26–29 November 2026. 

FACTS: IBU World Championships and World Cup Biathlon 
 

• The 2031 IBU World Championships Biathlon will be held in Östersund, Sweden. 

• Kontiolahti previously hosted the Championships in 1999 and 2015. 

• In 1990, Kontiolahti hosted the Men's Relay World Championships. 

• Kontiolahti has organized numerous IBU World Cup events. 

• The 2026/2027 IBU World Cup season will begin in Kontiolahti on 26–29 November 2026. 

Photo:
The Finnish delegation at the IBU Congress in Berchtesgaden, Germany: Kontiolahti World Cup Competition Manager Kimmo Turunen/Kontiolahti Sport Club (left), Regional Mayor Markus Hirvonen/Regional Council of North Karelia, President Jaakko Puurula/Finnish Biathlon Federation, Kontiolahti World Cup Event Manager Sami Leinonen/Kontiolahti Sport Club, Development Manager Terhi Millar/VisitKarelia, Secretary General Tapio Pukki/Finnish Biathlon Federation, World Champion Kaisa Mäkäräinen and Communications Manager Matilda Suhonen/Finnish Biathlon Federation. 
 

Media Contacts 
 

Matilda Suhonen 
Communications Manager, Finnish Biathlon Federation 
 +358 40 488 9128 
matilda.suhonen@biathlon.fi 

Jarno Lautamatti 
Secretary General, LaVita IBU World Cup Biathlon Kontiolahti 
+358 43 218 0573 
jarno@kontiolahtibiathlon.com 

Sami Leinonen 
Event Manager, LaVita IBU World Cup Biathlon Kontiolahti 
+358 50 557 8003 
sami@kontiolahtibiathlon.com