FIS Cross-Country World Cup

The FIS Cross-Country World Cup is an annual cross-country skiing competition, arranged by the International Ski Federation (FIS) since 1981. The competition was arranged unofficially between 1973 and 1981, although it received provisional recognition on the 31st FIS Congress, 29–30 April 1977 in Bariloche, Argentina.

The first World Cup races were held on 9 January 1982 and were located in Reit im Winkl, West Germany and Klingenthal, East Germany. Bill Koch of the United States and Berit Aunli of Norway were the overall winners in the first season.

Rules
Competitors attempt to achieve the most points during the season. They compete in two disciplines: Distance and Sprint. Current Distance races are mostly 10 km, 20 km, Skiathlon and 50 km for the men and women. The competitions are held with either individual start or mass start and either classic or free technique. In Sprint races, athletes are organised in heats based on their results in a prologue where the 30 fastest skiers qualify for the sprint's quarter-finals. The 12 best skiers in the quarter-finals advance to the semi-finals and the 6 best skiers in the semi-finals advance to the final. Sprint races are maximum 1.8 kilometres and are competed in either classic or free technique.

In ordinary World Cup races, 100 points are awarded to the winner, 95 for second place, 90 for third place, winding down to 1 point for 50th place. In Stage World Cup races; Tour de Ski, World Cup Final and mini-tours, 50 points are awarded to the winner, 47 for second place, 44 for third place, winding down to 1 point for 30th place. The overall winners of the Stage World Cup events are awarded 300 points for Tour de Ski victory and 200 points for an overall win in the World Cup Final or a mini-tour. The athlete with the most points at the end of the season in mid-March wins the Overall World Cup, with the trophy consisting of a 9 kilogram crystal globe. Sub-prizes are also awarded to the winners of the Sprint World Cup and the Distance World Cup, with a smaller 3.5 kg crystal globe.

Races are hosted primarily in Europe, with regular stops in the Nordic countries and Central Europe. A few races have also been held in North America and Asia. World Cup competitions have been hosted in 23 countries around the world: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czechoslovakia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Soviet Union, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States. (Note that all World Cup races hosted in Bosnia were held when it was still part of Yugoslavia.)

The World Cup usually follows a November-March schedule, effectively ruling out hosting races in the southern hemisphere, for example in Argentina or New Zealand. Additionally, races have yet to be hosted in the Central Asia-Himalayas region.

Overall World Cup standings
The table below shows the three highest ranked skiers each year.

Men

 * a. Unofficial World Cup
 * b. Trial World Cup

Source:

Women

 * a. Trial World Cup

Source:


 * With six overall World Cup titles Bjørn Dæhlie is record-holder among both men and women.

Men

 * a. Arranged under the name of "Long Distance World Cup".

Women

 * a. Arranged under the name of "Long Distance World Cup".

Nations Cup
All results of female and male athletes of a nation are counted for the Nations Cup.

Men

 * a. Long Distance World Cup
 * b. Middle Distance World Cup

Women

 * a. Long Distance World Cup
 * b. Middle Distance World Cup

Most World Cup wins
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Women

 * With 84 victories in World Cup and total 114 including Stage World Cup wins Marit Bjørgen is record-holder among both men and women.

World Cup wins by nation
The table below lists those nations which have won at least one individual World Cup race.

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Most World Cup podiums, top 10 results and individual starts
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Men's youngest winners
Source:

Women's youngest winners
Source:

Men's oldest winners
Source:

Women's oldest winners
Source:

Men
Sources:

Women
Sources:

1981/82 season to 2005/06 season

 * a. Team sprint discipline was first introduced in 1995/96 season.

since 2022/2023 season

 * a. Nordic Opening is held annually since 2010/11 season.
 * b. World Cup Final is held since 2007/08 season, except 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2019/20 seasons. The stages of its first edition were not counted as a Stage World Cup race, hence no World Cup points were awarded.
 * c. Ski Tour 2020 was held only in 2019/20 season.
 * d. Tour de Ski is held annually since 2006/07 season. World Cup points were not awarded for the stage races in its first edition.
 * e. Ski Tour Canada was held only in 2015/16 season.
 * f. Individual World Cup points for places in Relays and Team Sprints since 2020/21 season.

World Cup hosts

 * a. As Czechoslovakia until 1992.
 * b. As Soviet Union until 1991.
 * c. As Yugoslavia until 1991.
 * d. As Leningrad until 1991.

World Cup Finals

 * 2007–08 – Bormio, Italy
 * 2008–09 – Stockholm / Falun, Sweden
 * 2009–10 – Stockholm / Falun, Sweden
 * 2010–11 – Stockholm / Falun, Sweden
 * 2011–12 – Stockholm / Falun, Sweden
 * 2012–13 – Stockholm / Falun, Sweden
 * 2013–14 – Falun, Sweden
 * 2014–15 – not held
 * 2015–16 – 2016 Ski Tour Canada
 * 2016–17 – Quebec City, Canada
 * 2017–18 – Falun, Sweden
 * 2018–19 – Quebec City, Canada
 * 2019–20 – cancelled
 * 2020–21 – cancelled
 * 2021–22 – cancelled
 * 2022–23 – not held
 * 2023–24 – not held