The 2025–26 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup kicks off this weekend, with Mikaela Shiffrin, Marco Odermatt and the sport’s elite charging out of the start gate for the first races of the season.

As is tradition, Soelden, Austria will host the opening giant slalom races, with two women’s runs taking place on Saturday and two men’s runs on Sunday.

The start list features a strong roster of American talent, including Shiffrin, a five-time overall World Cup champion who holds the record for most victories in a single season (17) and of all time (101). Despite her unparalleled success, the 30-year-old recently tempered expectations.

“I feel as motivated as ever. I also feel realistic about the position I’m in right now, not necessarily going into the season feeling like I’m at the top of the fastest athletes,” she admitted. “I feel like I have the potential to be in the mix when I really ski my best and [am] most confident. There are a lot of uncertainties right now, so we’ll see.”

It’s a noteworthy revelation, even for the oft modest Shiffrin. Of course, she did sustain that scary injury at the end of 2024 following a crash that resulted in a puncture wound. It kept her out of action almost for two months and she experienced post-traumatic stress disorder.

Still, Mikaela did as Mikaela does, claiming four World Cup victories, which included her record 100th and 101st post-crash. She also won a gold in the team combined event at the 2025 World Alpine Skiing Championships with fellow American Breezy Johnson. Whether she’s feeling 100% or not, she’s clearly still a force on the mountain.

Joining Shiffrin in Soelden is Olympic gold medalist and the nation’s top-ranked giant slalom skier heading into the 2025-26 campaign, Paula Moltzan. World champion Nina O’Brien and U.S. Alpine Ski Team mainstay AJ Hurt will be in action, as well.

On the men’s side, River Radamus, who finished fourth in two events at the 2022 Beijing Olympics — narrowly missing a bronze medal by 27 hundredths of a second in the giant slalom — begins his personal redemption arc. Patrick Kenney and Bridger Gile also will hit the slopes alongside him.

The U.S. will face steep international competition, which starts with Odermatt. The Swiss dynamo has owned the 2020s, winning four consecutive overall World Cup crowns (dating back to 2022), an Olympic gold medal and three world championship gold medals in this half decade alone. Giant slalom widely is considered his strongest discipline, which bodes well for him and not so well for his opponents heading into Soelden. 

Alice Robinson also is confirmed to compete. The 23-year-old Kiwi is one of the sport’s fastest rising stars, placing second in the 2025 giant slalom World Cup rankings and earning a silver medal at the 2025 World Championships.

Both of 2024's winners in Soelden, Federica Brignone and Alexander Steen Olsen, are injured and won’t be competing in this year's event. 

The 2025-26 World Cup season features nine men’s and 10 women’s giant slalom events. Beyond chasing Crystal Globes and the overall title, this year’s results carry added weight. High point totals will help secure coveted Olympic qualification slots for National Olympic Committees, which ultimately determine who lines up at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games.

Live coverage of World Cup action from Soelden will air Saturday and Sunday on Peacock, starting at 4:00 am ET and 5:00 am ET, respectively.