One of alpine skiing’s most iconic night races is officially on the calendar: the International Ski Federation (FIS) has approved snow conditions at Madonna di Campiglio, clearing the northern Italian resort to host the Men’s Alpine Ski World Cup Night Slalom on January 7, 2026. The announcement follows a routine pre-race inspection known as “snow control,” which is conducted 10 days before the event for tech races.
Madonna di Campiglio is located in northern Italy’s Brenta Dolomites, roughly 100 miles northeast of Milan, near the borders with Austria and Switzerland. The resort is known for steep terrain, cold nighttime temperatures, and a finish area that drops directly into the village, creating one of the most atmospheric settings on the World Cup tour.
The race is held on the resort’s main slalom course—the Canalone Miramonti—a short, steep run that is widely regarded as one of the most demanding slalom tracks in the world. Floodlights will illuminate the slope for two runs scheduled at 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. local time, making it a convenient mid-morning broadcast time for U.S. audiences.
Despite a challenging start to winter that included warm temperatures and rainfall, organizers say the race course is in strong shape. Recent cold weather has allowed crews to build a compact, durable base, with additional course hardening planned in the days ahead. In the press release by the resort, race director Adriano Alimonta said the goal is to deliver a surface that rewards precision and consistency. “We are working to ensure the race is both highly technical and visually spectacular,” Alimonta said, noting that final preparations will depend on weather conditions leading into race week.
The Madonna di Campiglio night slalom consistently attracts the sport’s top technical specialists. The last three editions have been won by some of the most accomplished slalom skiers in the world:
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2025: Albert Popov claimed the first victory for Bulgaria in 45 years in a dramatic race.
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2024: Switzerland’s Daniel Yule continued a strong season that year at 3Tre.
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2023: Austria’s Marco Schwarz surged from sixth after the first run to win the night slalom.
With another deep field expected in 2026, the January 7 race is shaping up to be one of the marquee technical contests of the season.
Event Schedule Highlights
- January 6, 2026 – Public bib draw and fan events in the village
- January 7, 2026
- 6:00 p.m. — Run 1
- 9:00 p.m. — Run 2
The World Cup Night Slalom at Madonna di Campiglio remains a staple of early January racing, combining elite competition, prime-time visibility, and one of the most challenging slalom courses in the sport.
How did they ever let Semmering pass inspection???? The worst conditions ever, equivalent to So Cal skiing. On that note did you notice the skiers from “Southern tier” resorts/countries faired better !