The Alpine Ski World Cup could finally come to Zermatt in 2028! Two previous attempts were made on Gran Becca in 2022 and 2023, but all eight scheduled downhill races had to be cancelled due to snow and weather problems. Now the Valais resort is trying again: according to current reports in the Swiss media, Zermatt has been included in the provisional FIS calendar for the 2027/28 season. Two men’s speed races are planned for the second half of March 2028.
This time, however, the races will not take place high on the Theodul Glacier, but on a new course on Gornergrat. The World Cup debut has not yet been confirmed.
Gornergrat Replaces Gran Becca
With the new course, Zermatt is moving away from its cross-border concept. While Gran Becca started in Switzerland and finished in Cervinia, Italy, the Gornergrat downhill will remain entirely on Swiss soil. This will make logistics considerably easier for teams, volunteers and spectators.
The start is planned at an elevation of around 2,835 metres, just below the top station of the Gifthittli chairlift. From there, the racers will initially follow piste 35 towards Riffelberg. The course will then continue via Riffelalp down to Schweigmatten. The finish area will be located near the intermediate station of the Riffelberg Express.
The new downhill course is expected to be around 3.6 kilometres long. Former Olympic downhill champion Didier Défago is responsible for its design, with support from Pirmin Zurbriggen.
This Section Could Steal the Show
The most unusual section of the course awaits at the Gornergrat Railway. For around 300 metres, the racers are expected to ski across the roof of the Riffelbord railway gallery. They will then launch off a jump into the next section of the course – with the Matterhorn providing a spectacular backdrop.
To make the passage safe for racing, suitable entry and exit ramps will have to be built around the gallery. The existing piste must also be widened or adapted to the terrain in several other places. Outside the race weeks, the upgraded downhill is expected to remain open to recreational skiers.
Swiss ski stars Marco Odermatt and Franjo von Allmen have already reacted positively to the plans. Organiser Franz Julen presented the proposed course to the Swiss-Ski racers in August. If everything is implemented as planned, von Allmen expects a spectacular race.
How Zermatt Plans to Prevent Further Cancellations
The switch to Gornergrat is not the only change. The date is also moving much further back in the season. The races on Gran Becca were scheduled for October and November and were intended to open the speed season early.
On Gornergrat, racing is now planned for the second half of March. The lower elevation and more direct connection to the resort should make the event less vulnerable to disruption. The weather is also expected to be considerably more settled in March.
At the same time, the later date presents a new challenge: March is peak season in Zermatt. Enough accommodation will therefore be needed for athletes, support teams, media representatives, volunteers and fans.
It is not yet known which two events will be held. The only confirmed detail is that the men are set to receive two speed races. These could be two downhills or a combination of one downhill and one super-G.
Wettervorhersage
Multi-Million-Franc Project Gets the Green Light
Zermatt is investing heavily in the expansion of the Gornergrat course. According to the Swiss newspaper Blick, around CHF 13 million will be spent on the new race course. The plans include additional snowmaking facilities, earthworks and structural alterations along the route.
Some impact on the natural environment cannot be avoided entirely. Areas of forest will have to be cleared in the lower section of the course. However, the route was revised during the planning process to reduce the amount of forest clearance and limit major alterations to the terrain.
In June 2026, the people of Zermatt backed the project by a large majority. The necessary revision of the municipal land-use plan was approved with just four votes against and two abstentions.
Clear requirements also apply to the finish area in Schweigmatten: grandstands, media areas and other event structures may only be erected temporarily and must be removed again after the races.
A Long Racing Tradition, but Still No World Cup Debut
Ski racing on Gornergrat is not a new idea. Between 1946 and 1967, the international Gornergrat Derby attracted numerous leading racers to Zermatt. The men’s downhill course at the time was six kilometres long and covered around 1,500 vertical metres – considerably more than the course now being planned.
The Gornergrat Derby came to an end with the introduction of the Alpine Ski World Cup. To this day, Zermatt has never hosted a World Cup race. The widely publicised return on Gran Becca also failed to produce a single completed race.
In February 2025, Zermatt Bergbahnen, Swiss-Ski and the FIS eventually agreed on a new way forward. The agreement envisages two men’s speed races every year from 2028 to 2034, held during the second half of March. The course must first receive official homologation, while a workable event concept also remains a prerequisite.
First Europa Cup, Then World Cup: The Course Must Prove Itself
Construction work is expected to be completed by autumn 2027. The first training sessions on the new course could take place as early as January 2028. According to Blick, a Europa Cup downhill is planned as a dress rehearsal in February before the World Cup follows in March.
The timetable is not without opposition. Hannes Trinkl, who is responsible for the men’s speed events in the World Cup, is said to favour a longer testing period and a debut in 2029 instead. The organisers in Zermatt and Swiss-Ski, however, believe that a March 2028 launch is achievable.
Whether the World Cup races actually take place in 2028 will be decided after the test events and once the course has received final approval from the FIS.
WebcamEntityBox
Stay up to date with the latest snowfall news
Schneeticker
