Biathlon at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games will be comprised of 11 events. Men and women will each compete in five events and there will be one mixed relay event.

Mixed event:

• Mixed relay 4x6km (Sunday, Feb. 8)

Men's events:

• Men’s 20km individual (Tuesday, Feb. 10)
• Men’s 10km sprint (Friday, Feb. 13)
• Men’s 12.5km pursuit (Sunday, Feb. 15)
• Men’s 4x7.5km relay (Tuesday, Feb. 17)
• Men’s 15km mass start (Friday, Feb. 20)

Women's events:

• Women’s 15km individual (Wednesday, Feb. 11)
• Women’s 7.5km sprint (Saturday, Feb. 14)
• Women’s 10km pursuit (Sunday Feb. 15)
• Women’s 4x6km relay (Wednesday, Feb. 18)
• Women’s 12.5km mass start (Tuesday, Feb. 21)

Scoring and timing rules depend on which biathlon event is taking place at the Olympics, as each competition has its own structure.

 Individual events (men’s 20km and women’s 15km): 

• Winner: fastest total time (including penalty minutes)

Sprint events (men’s 10km and women’s 7.5 km): 

• Winner: fastest total time

 Pursuit events (men’s 12.5km and women’s 10km): 

• Winner: first across the finish line

Relay events (men’s 4x7.5km and women’s 4x6km): 

• Winner: first team across the finish line

Mass start events (men’s 15km and women’s 12.5km): 

• Winner: first across the finish line

Mixed 4x6km relay: 

• Winner: first team across the finish line

Biathlon competition combines the skills of cross-country skiing and rifle target shooting. Events consist of athletes racing multiple laps around a track and stopping to shoot from different positions and distances during the competition. The number of loops and stops at the shooting range vary depending on each event. All events begin and end with a loop of skiing. In all non-relay events, athletes have five rounds of ammunition to hit five targets per lap. In relay events, they have three additional spare rounds that have to manually be loaded.

The shooting portion of a biathlon competition is known as a shooting bout or shooting stage. Events have either two or four shooting bouts in Olympic biathlon. Athletes shoot in either a standing or prone position depending on which is designated for that portion of the competition. If an athlete misses a target during a bout they incur a penalty. Either extra time is added automatically to their finish or they have to ski a penalty loop for each missed target depending on the event.

The 2026 Olympic Games will have 11 biathlon events: five for men, five for women and one mixed relay.

 Individual events: Men’s 20km and women’s 15km 

• Overview: The original, longest and most classic biathlon competition
• Start: Athletes start in 30-second intervals determined by an electronic draw. The draw sorts competitors into four groups. The top-15 athletes from the World Cup circuit get preference in choosing their group. The only stipulation is that a group can’t feature more than two athletes from the same country.
• Laps: five (5x4km for men; 5x3km for women)
• Format: lap — shoot prone — lap — shoot standing — lap — shoot prone — lap — shoot standing — lap — finish line
• Penalty: 60 seconds per missed target added to an athlete’s final time
• Winner: fastest total time (including penalty minutes)

Sprint events: Men’s 10km and women’s 7.5 km 

• Overview: An all-out sprint emphasizing fast skiing and quick shooting
• Start: Athletes start in 30-second intervals determined by an electronic draw. The draw sorts competitors into four groups. The top-15 athletes from the World Cup circuit get preference in choosing their group. The only stipulation is that a group can’t feature more than two athletes from the same country.
• Laps: three (3x3.3km for men; 3x2.5km for women)
• Format: lap — shoot prone — lap — shoot standing — lap — finish line
• Penalty: Athletes ski a 150m penalty loop (just under 500 feet) for each missed target before starting the next loop
• Winner: fastest total time

 Pursuit events: Men’s 12.5km and women’s 10km 

• Overview: The top-60 competitors from the sprint competition qualify for the pursuit
• Start: This event — which features all the same athletes from the sprint event — starts in intervals based on the results from the sprint with the top sprinter going first followed by the first in a time-behind format
• Laps: five (5x2.5km for men; 5x2km for women)
• Format: lap — shoot prone — lap — shoot prone — lap — shoot standing — lap — shoot standing — lap — finish line
• Penalty: Athletes ski a 150m penalty loop (just under 500 feet) for each missed target before starting the next loop
• Winner: first across the finish line

Relay events: Men’s 4x7.5km and women’s 4x6km 

• Start: Simultaneous start per team (four athletes per team)
• Laps: three each (3x2.5km for men; 3x2km for women)
• Format per athlete: lap — shoot prone — lap — shoot standing — lap — finish line
• Shooting: In relays, athletes are allowed three spare rounds if needed to close their target
• Penalty: Athletes ski a 150m penalty loop (just under 500 feet) for each missed target before starting the next loop
• Exchange: At the conclusion of each leg, athletes tap their teammates on the shoulder to initiate the next leg
• Winner: first team across the line

Mass start events: Men’s 15km and women’s 12.5km 

• Overview: The top-30 biathletes compete against each other. The field consists of all non-relay medalists at these Olympics up to that point with the remaining spots being filled by athletes according to World Cup ranking.
• Start: All athletes start at the same time
• Laps: five (5x3km for men; 5x2.5km for women)
• Format: lap — shoot prone — lap — shoot prone — lap — shoot standing — lap — shoot standing — lap — finish line
• Penalty: Athletes ski a 150m penalty loop (just under 500 feet) for each missed target before starting the next loop
• Winner: first across the finish line

Mixed 4x6km relay: 

• Start: Simultaneous start per team (four athletes per team — two men, two women)
• Laps: three each (3x2km for each athlete)
• Format per athlete: lap — shoot prone — lap — shoot standing — lap — finish line
• Shooting: In relays, athletes are allowed three spare rounds if needed to close their target
• Penalty: Athletes ski a 150m penalty loop (just under 500 feet) for any unclosed targets after the eighth shot is fired
• Exchange: At the conclusion of each leg, athletes tap their teammates on the shoulder to initiate the next leg
• Winner: first team across the line

• Eligible athletes who placed in the top six in any sprint, individual, pursuit or mass start race at the 2025 World Championship pre-qualified for the Olympics.
• Athletes who do not pre-qualify for the Games based on their 2025 World Championship finish will be evaluated at the following events:
  • Roller ski trials in fall 2025
  • Pre-season on-snow selection races in fall 2025
  • 2025-26 World Cup season
  • 2025-26 IBU Cup Tour season
  • 2025 U.S. Biathlon On-Snow IBUC/WC Trials in December, 2025
• Biathlon rosters for the Olympics are expected to be announced in mid-January, 2026. 

The following countries have some of the top biathletes that will be competing for the podium in Milan Cortina:

Norway:

• Endre Stromsheim is the reigning world champion in the men's 15km mass start
• Sturla Holm Laegreid won gold in the men's 4x7.5km relay in Beijing

France:

• Quentin Fillon Maillet won gold in the men's 12km pursuit and the men's 20km individual in Beijing
• Eric Perrot is the reigning world champion in the men's 20km individual

Italy:

• Tommaso Giacomel is the 2025 world silver medalist in the men’s 20km individual
• Lisa Vittozzi earned bronze in the mixed relay in PyeongChang but she didn't make the podium in Beijing
• Dorothea Wierer earned bronze medals in the mixed relay in Sochi and PyeongChang and earned bronze in the women's 7.5km sprint in Beijing
• Italy is pursuing the country's first-ever gold medal in biathlon 

U.S.:

• Campbell Wright earned silver in the men’s 10km sprint and 12.5km pursuit at the 2025 World Championships
• Team USA is in search of the country's first-ever medal in biathlon at the Olympics

The biathlon events at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Games will take place at the Anterselva Biathlon Arena which is located in the Antholz Valley of Italy.