FIS Ski Cross World Cup Comes to Kopaonik

From February 25 to 28, 2026, Kopaonik will host the FIS Ski Cross World Cup — stop seven of nine on the 2025-26 World Cup calendar, alongside Val Thorens, Arosa, Innichen, Veysonnaz, and Idre Fjall. The event follows directly after the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics (which end February 22), meaning the athletes arriving at Kopaonik will include fresh Olympic medalists competing at the peak of their season. Approximately 150 competitors from over 20 countries are expected.

BG Diplomat Limo is proud to serve as the official transport partner, providing Mercedes fleet transfers between Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport and Kopaonik for international teams, FIS officials, media, and VIP guests throughout the competition week.

Attending the FIS Ski Cross World Cup at Kopaonik? Book your luxury transfer from Belgrade Airport with fixed pricing and meet & greet service. Call +381 (0)69 666 040 or visit bgdiplomat.com/belgrade-kopaonik-transfer

What Makes Ski Cross One of Winter Sports' Best Spectacles

Ski cross entered the Olympic program at Vancouver 2010 and has earned a reputation as one of the most watchable disciplines in freestyle skiing. The format is simple and dramatic: four skiers race the same course at the same time. No time trials. No waiting for scores. Just direct competition with contact permitted.

Courses are designed with terrain features that force tactical decisions at speed. Jumps create gaps. Rollers shuffle positions. Banked turns reward the brave. Unlike traditional alpine events where athletes race alone against the clock, ski cross produces visible, comprehensible drama on every run.

Qualifying rounds narrow the field through heats until the final four compete for medals. Races last roughly 60 seconds. A lot happens in those 60 seconds.

Who to watch at Kopaonik

The men's field is led by Reece Howden (Canada), the reigning Crystal Globe champion who holds the all-time record for men's ski cross World Cup wins. He enters Kopaonik with 593 points, well ahead of Simone Deromedis (Italy, 460 pts) and Florian Wilmsmann (Germany, 434 pts). Youri Duplessis-Kergomard (France) rounds out the top four with five podium finishes this season.

On the women's side, Fanny Smith (Switzerland) defends her Crystal Globe title and 2025 World Championship crown. She faces consistent pressure from Marielle Berger Sabbatel (France) and Sandra Naeslund (Sweden), the reigning Olympic champion.

With the competition landing three days after the Olympic ski cross finals in Livigno, expect the field to arrive sharp, fit, and racing for late-season World Cup points.

Filip Flisar, the Slovenian former World Cup overall winner who serves as official promoter of the Kopaonik event, put it directly: "Ski cross is an Olympic discipline very accessible to audiences. Races are fast with a clear, dynamic format, and the atmosphere at major competitions is always special."

Why Kopaonik, and Why Now

The Ski Association of Serbia secured the FIS World Cup bid through a combination of Kopaonik's infrastructure investments and strategic calendar positioning. The competition takes place on the Karaman Greben 7b slope, which meets all FIS international ski cross standards. The event sits immediately after the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics (February 6-22), creating a natural pipeline for the world's top ski cross athletes to continue competing at the highest level.

For Kopaonik, this is a defining moment. Serbia's principal ski resort has invested significantly in modernizing its facilities, and hosting a World Cup event validates that investment on the international stage. The organizing partnership — Ski Association of Serbia, FIS, Serbian Ministry of Sport, and Kopaonik Ski Resort — reflects institutional commitment at every level.

Event organization

The FIS has appointed Klaus Waldner (Austria) as Race Director and Thibault Combre (France) as Technical Delegate. On the Serbian side, Milan Bozic serves as Chief of Competition, with Nevena Ignjatovic leading the Organizing Committee. The Race Office operates from Hotel Grand, Kopaonik, opening February 22 at 16:00.

Competition schedule

• February 23: Official arrival day and team registration at Hotel Grand

• February 24-25: Course inspection and official training

• February 26-27: Qualification rounds (men's and women's)

• February 27-28: Finals and medal ceremonies

• March 1: Official departure day

BG Diplomat: Official FIS Transport Partner

BG Diplomat Limo has operated in Belgrade since 1999. Twenty-seven years of ground transport across the Balkans and Europe, serving corporate clients, diplomatic missions, international events, and private travellers who require punctuality, professionalism, and vehicles maintained to exacting standards.

For the FIS Ski Cross World Cup, we are the logistics backbone of the entire event — providing dedicated transport and equipment logistics throughout the competition week.

Dozens of nationalities, hundreds of competitors

This is not a standard airport pickup operation. Approximately 300 people will move between Belgrade Airport and Kopaonik during the competition week: national ski cross teams from Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Sweden, Serbia, Russia, and other FIS member nations, plus FIS officials, media, and support staff.

Every one of those teams travels heavily. Athletes arrive with racing skis (multiple pairs per athlete), boots, helmets, body armour, poles, and personal gear. Behind them come the service technicians with portable wax stations, grinding machines, tool kits, spare bindings, and crates of race-day consumables. A single national team can fill a cargo van before a single athlete boards a passenger vehicle.

We coordinate all of it — people and equipment, arriving on different flights, moving to the same mountain on the same timeline. The athletes ride in comfort. Their gear arrives alongside them, not a day later. That is what official transport partner means in practice.

What we deploy for the event

Mercedes S-Class and E-Class sedans for FIS officials, VIP guests, and individual transfers. Climate-controlled, equipped for winter conditions, driven by professionals who know the Belgrade-Kopaonik corridor in any weather.

Mercedes V-Class for small team delegations of 4-6 passengers. Enough space for personal luggage and ski equipment without the impersonal feel of a minibus.

Mercedes Sprinter (passenger configuration) for full team transport, seating 8-20 passengers in comfort for the 3-4 hour transfer. Coaches, athletes, and support staff travel together.

Mercedes Sprinter (cargo with trailer) for team equipment logistics. Ski bags, wax boxes, toolkits, and service equipment ride in a dedicated cargo Sprinter with trailer, arriving at Kopaonik alongside the team rather than hours behind. This is the vehicle that makes the difference between a team that trains on arrival day and one that waits for their gear.

Cargo vans for ski transport are specifically configured for bulk ski and equipment loads. When a team brings 30+ pairs of race skis, poles, and spare equipment, this is how it moves from the airport to the mountain. We load at the terminal, secure everything for mountain roads, and deliver to the team hotel.

Touring bus for large delegations, media contingents, or spectator groups requiring 30+ passenger capacity on a single vehicle. Climate-controlled with luggage storage for the full Belgrade-Kopaonik journey.

Mercedes GLE and G-Class for terrain-capable transfers when mountain road conditions demand all-wheel-drive capability with ground clearance.

How the service works

1. Airport meet & greet. Your driver waits at the arrivals terminal with your name displayed. No searching for transport after a long flight.

2. Fixed pricing. The rate you receive at booking is the rate you pay. No surge pricing, no hidden fuel charges, no surprises at the mountain.

3. English-speaking drivers. Every driver assigned to the FIS event speaks English. For teams requiring German, Russian, or French, we match language capability on request.

4. 24/7 availability. Flight delays do not incur extra charges. We monitor flight status and adjust pickup times automatically. Early morning departures and late-night arrivals are handled at the same rate.

5. Return transfers. The same standard applies for the return journey to Belgrade Airport on departure day, March 1.

FIS teams and officials: Request your event transport package with group rates and multi-vehicle coordination. Contact [email protected] or call +381 (0)69 666 040

For Spectators and Media

The Kopaonik FIS World Cup is not a closed event. Ski enthusiasts, winter sports journalists, and spectators will travel to Kopaonik from across Europe, and getting there comfortably matters, especially in late February mountain conditions.

If you are a spectator

You do not need to rent a car and navigate unfamiliar mountain roads in winter. A private transfer from Belgrade Airport delivers you directly to your hotel in Kopaonik. Share a vehicle with travel companions to split the cost. Book a return transfer for your departure date and remove logistics from the equation entirely.

If you are a press or media

Equipment matters. A Mercedes Sprinter configured for media transport accommodates camera cases, tripods, and broadcast equipment without the cargo lottery of a rental car trunk. Arrive at the venue ready to work, not reorganising gear in a parking lot.

Accommodation note

Hotel Grand serves as the official Race Office and primary accommodation hub. Kopaonik's hotel infrastructure includes several properties within walking distance of the ski area. February is peak season. Book accommodation early and coordinate your ground transport to match your reservation dates.

Broadcast and Coverage

The Kopaonik FIS Ski Cross World Cup will be broadcast internationally via FIS TV and TV Arena, with additional coverage through Eurosport. Full results, start lists, and live timing will be available at fis-ski.com.

What This Means for Serbian Winter Sports

The FIS Ski Cross World Cup at Kopaonik is more than a single competition. It is a proof of concept. Serbia is demonstrating that it can organize and host international winter sports events at the World Cup level, that its mountain infrastructure meets FIS standards, and that the operational logistics (transport, accommodation, communications, security) function at the standard the international ski community expects.

Kopaonik already operates 55 km of ski runs, modern lift infrastructure, and snowmaking capability that extends the season. Adding a World Cup credential to that portfolio changes how the resort is perceived internationally.

For Belgrade, it positions the city as a winter sports gateway. International arrivals land at Nikola Tesla Airport, experience the city's hospitality infrastructure, and connect onward to a mountain resort hosting elite competition. The model works for future events.

Practical Information at a Glance

DetailInformationEventFIS Ski Cross World CupDatesFebruary 25-28, 2026LocationKopaonik, SerbiaOrganizerSki Association of Serbia / FISRace OfficeHotel Grand, KopaonikNearest airportBelgrade Nikola Tesla (BEG)Distance290 km / 3-4 hours by roadOfficial arrivalFebruary 23, 2026Official departureMarch 1, 2026Transport partnerBG Diplomat LimoContact+381 (0)69 666 040 / [email protected]

Book Your Transfer

Whether you are a competing team arriving with 12 athletes and a coaching staff, a FIS official travelling alone, a journalist carrying three equipment cases, or a ski enthusiast who wants to watch World Cup racing in person, the transfer from Belgrade to Kopaonik is the first logistical decision you need to make.

We handle it — people, equipment, and logistics. Fixed price. Mercedes fleet. Professional drivers who have driven the Belgrade-Kopaonik corridor hundreds of times in winter conditions. We are not a booking platform matching you with an unknown driver. We are the company that moves the entire event.

Book your Belgrade Airport to Kopaonik transfer:

• Call +381 (0)69 666 040 (24/7)

• Email [email protected]

• Visit bgdiplomat.com

BG Diplomat Limo is the official transport partner of the FIS Ski Cross World Cup 2026 at Kopaonik. Since 1999, we have provided professional ground transport across Serbia and Europe for corporate, diplomatic, and international event clients.