For the first time, the XCO World Cup arrives in Korea

The UCI and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports have confirmed on Wednesday the addition of two new venues to the 2026 XCO World Cup calendar. Two new locations that mark a decisive step in the internationalization of the Mountain Bike World Cup.

Korea will open the 2026 XCO World Cup season

The start of the 2026 season will be historic: PyeongChang (South Korea) will host the first round of the World Cup with a full weekend of XCO, XCC, and DHI competition, something unprecedented in the Asian continent. The former Olympic host in winter of 2018 will become the global epicenter of MTB to welcome the first World Cup of Olympic Cross-country (XCO), Short Track (XCC), and Downhill (DHI) held in Asia in over two decades.

The organization states that the choice of this venue is not random and that PyeongChang has top-level sports infrastructure and technical and demanding terrain.

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The second major news comes from the United States, with the confirmation of Soldier Hollow in Midway (Utah) as a new venue for the 2026 World Cup American block. This location already left a good impression after hosting the Pan American MTB Championship in 2024, and will be the setting for XCO and XCC events next year. In addition, the venue is expected to have Olympic prominence in the future, as it will be one of the venues for the 2034 Salt Lake City-Utah Winter Olympics.

With these additions, the UCI and Warner Bros. Discovery reinforce their commitment to expanding MTB to new regions with a tradition of sports and top-notch organizational capabilities.

Chris Ball, Vice President of Cycling Events at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, celebrated these announcements:

"Today we take an exciting step in the development of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, with iconic venues joining the calendar starting next season. For the first time, we bring the Olympic cross-country format to Asia, in a venue with proven Olympic credentials, which will connect new fans with our sport. In addition, the addition of Utah, one of the world's most important destinations for XCO, reinforces our commitment to offering mountain biking at the highest level."

Specific dates for these events in South Korea and the United States will be announced soon, as part of the full calendar of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series 2026.