The 30th edition of the Youth and Junior Biathlon World Championships will take place in Arber, Germany, from 23 February to 8 March 2026 at the Hohenzollern Skistadion. It will be only the second time the championships are staged in Germany, following Ruhpolding in 2008.

Event Overview

Over eight competition days, the world’s best young biathletes will battle for medals and valuable international experience at one of Germany’s most renowned winter sports venues.

A total of 18 competitions will be held during the championships:

• 6 individual competitions for Youth

• 6 individual competitions for Juniors

• 3 relay competitions for Youth

• 3 relay competitions for Juniors

The programme includes individual races, sprints, Mass Start 60 events and relays. The detailed schedule can be found below.

Athletes to Watch

Nearly 500 athletes from 40 National Federations are set to compete in Arber, underlining the global reach and growing depth of youth and junior biathlon.

Among the standout names are the overall Junior Cup total score leaders Thomas March (AUT) and Tetiana Tarasiuk (UKR), both arriving as leading contenders in their respective categories.

The start lists also feature several gold medalists from the 2025 Youth & Junior World Championships in Östersund, including Ilona Plecháčová (CZE), Leo Carlier (FRA), Kasper Kalkenberg (NOR), Martine Skog (NOR), Louise Roguet (FRA) and Lukas Tannheimer (GER).

Adding further intrigue, several young athletes line up with fresh Olympic experience, bringing additional confidence and high-level racing exposure to the championships.

Competition Schedule

(All times in CET)

Saturday, 28 February

• 10:30 – Youth Men 12.5km Individual

• 14:10 – Junior Men 15km Individual

Sunday, 1 March

• 10:30 – Youth Women 10km Individual

• 14:10 – Junior Women 12.5km Individual

Monday, 2 March

• 11:00 – Youth Mixed Relay (Men & Women)

• 14:45 – Junior Mixed Relay (Men & Women)

Tuesday, 3 March

• 10:30 – Youth Men 7.5km Sprint

• 14:30 – Junior Men 10km Sprint

Wednesday, 4 March

10:30 – Youth Women 6km Sprint

14:30 – Junior Women 7.5km Sprint

Friday, 6 March

• 10:30 – Junior Men 12km Mass Start 60

• 11:30 – Junior Women 9km Mass Start 60

• 14:40 – Youth Men 12km Mass Start 60

• 15:40 – Youth Women 9km Mass Start 60

Saturday, 7 March

• 11:00 – Youth Men Relay

• 14:15 – Junior Men Relay

Sunday, 8 March

• 10:30 – Youth Women Relay

• 14:30 – Junior Women Relay

With 18 titles at stake in Arber, the 2026 edition promises intense competition, breakthrough performances and the emergence of the next generation of biathlon talent.

Stay updated with results, live coverage and highlights on Biathlonworld.com and the IBU App.

Photos: IBU Photopool