The FIS Cross-Country World Cup opens its 2026-27 season in Ruka from 27 to 29 November with a problem the circuit has not had in 28 years: No title sponsor on the start list.

Norway’s Coop, the grocery group that had backed the circuit since 2018, announced in June that it was ending the deal. The partnership was reportedly worth between €1.3m and €1.8m a year.

Terje Lund, who chairs the FIS advertising committee and heads events at the Norwegian Ski Federation, told newspaper Dagbladet that the search for a successor is being handled behind closed doors.

“They are in the sales process now, but FIS is keeping their cards close to their chest,” Lund said.

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He is not promising a quick solution.

“But we still have hope and faith that we will get a good partner in place.”

Coop pointed to a fragmented TV picture

Coop’s own explanation was blunt. Deputy managing director Bjørn Vik-Mo told proxcskiing.com that the sport’s broadcast base had splintered.

“TV coverage has been very scattered. Last winter, rights were divided among NRK, TV 2, and Viaplay,” Vik-Mo said.

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Coop’s new sponsorship strategy will prioritize football and athletics instead.

Inside the Norwegian industry, the exit was treated as more than a routine commercial reshuffle. Tor W. Andreassen, professor emeritus at the Norwegian School of Economics, called the development ruinous for a sport Norway treats as a national property.

“This is a catastrophe and financially devastating. These are terribly sad news for our national sport,” Andreassen told proxcskiing.com.

He went further on what a smaller replacement would mean.

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“If they don’t find equal sponsorship, the entire setup must scale back. This is like being relegated from the top league.”

The ripple goes beyond the weekly circuit. Coop had contributed roughly €4m to the 2021 World Championships in Trondheim, and its withdrawal has left broadcasting arrangements for the 2027 Falun World Championships unclear.

Prize money could be the first casualty

Lund did not hide what is at stake if FIS cannot land a replacement.

“If these rights are not sold, it will hit FIS’s revenues, which in turn can affect how much prize money they can pay out,” he told Dagbladet.

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Discussions about cutting athlete payouts are already under way inside the federation, Lund said. Individual World Cup host organizers, meanwhile, can now negotiate directly with FIS to buy back advertising space normally held for the title sponsor.

The ski jumping circuit arrived at the new winter in different shape: FIS announced a multi-year deal with German retailer Kaufland that will title the Ski Jumping World Cup through the 2029-30 season. Cross-country was not part of that agreement.

Ruka’s three days of racing open the season on 27 November. The World Cup ends in Ulricehamn, Sweden, on 21 March 2027.

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