The Biathlon World Championships 2027 come to Otepää, Estonia, in February, and for the first time in the town’s history the world’s best biathletes will race for medals at Tehvandi Sports Centre. Whether you are a long-time biathlon fan or attending your first major winter sports event, a little planning makes the trip far easier. We have put together this guide to help international visitors understand the dates, the race schedule, how to reach Otepää, what to bring into the stadium and how to make the most of a day when the racing starts in the evening.
Almost every race starts in the late afternoon or evening, which leaves your mornings free for the snowy landscapes of the Otepää region. Read on for the practical details you need before you book.
When and where are the Biathlon World Championships 2027 held?
The Biathlon World Championships 2027, officially the LaVita IBU World Championships Biathlon, take place in Otepää, Estonia, from 9 to 21 February 2027 at Tehvandi Sports Centre. It is the first time Otepää hosts the biathlon world championships.
Twelve world champions are crowned over ten competition days. The championships open with a ceremony on Tuesday 9 February, and the first race, the mixed relay, follows on Wednesday 10 February. The Otepää 2027 biathlon championships are expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors, and the organiser has asked South Estonian residents to offer accommodation on a dedicated home-accommodation platform, so demand for rooms and travel will be high throughout the event.
All start times in the official schedule are local Estonian time, which is Eastern European Time. If you are travelling from a different time zone, convert the start times before you plan your days. Because most races begin in the evening, you will have plenty of daylight to explore before heading to the stadium.
What is the race schedule?
The Otepää biathlon schedule has an opening ceremony and twelve races across ten competition days between 10 and 21 February 2027, with no races listed on 11 and 15 February. Here is the full programme as published by the organiser.
| Date | Event | Start time (local) |
|---|---|---|
| Tue 9 Feb | Opening ceremony | see official schedule |
| Wed 10 Feb | Mixed relay | 17:10 |
| Fri 12 Feb | Men’s sprint | 17:30 |
| Sat 13 Feb | Women’s sprint | 18:00 |
| Sun 14 Feb | Men’s pursuit | 17:05 |
| Sun 14 Feb | Women’s pursuit | 19:30 |
| Tue 16 Feb | Single mixed relay | 18:10 |
| Wed 17 Feb | Men’s individual | 18:10 |
| Thu 18 Feb | Women’s individual | 18:10 |
| Fri 19 Feb | Men’s relay | 18:30 |
| Sat 20 Feb | Women’s relay | 18:30 |
| Sun 21 Feb | Men’s mass start | 16:45 |
| Sun 21 Feb | Women’s mass start | 19:10 |
The first weekend brings the sprints and pursuits. The second week moves through the single mixed relay and the individual races to the relays, and the championships close on Sunday 21 February with the two mass starts. The rest days on 11 and 15 February are ideal for travel, a slower day in the nature park or a trip to Tartu. On both Sundays, 14 and 21 February, two races follow each other, so expect a late evening.
Schedules can change before or during the event, so we recommend checking the organiser’s official schedule in the weeks before your visit and again once you arrive.
How do you get to Otepää, and where should you stay?
Otepää is about a 2.5-hour drive from Tallinn, and Tartu is the nearest larger city. For a clearer picture of distances from different starting points, see our guide on how far Otepää is from Tallinn, Tartu and Helsinki.
Tartu also has an airport. We recommend checking current flight connections and onward transport directly with the airport and the airlines before you plan your route. Whichever way you arrive, allow extra time for winter driving. February roads in Estonia can be icy and snowy, winter tyres are mandatory in Estonia from 1 December, and traffic around Otepää is likely to be heavier than usual on race days.
Accommodation in and around Otepää will be in high demand, so book as early as possible. The organiser has set up the organiser’s home-accommodation platform, where local residents offer rooms and homes to championship visitors. Otepää also has parking areas for caravans and motorhomes. Ask the operators directly about availability and prices.
If rooms close to Tehvandi are already taken, a larger town can work as a base. Our overview of where to stay near Otepää covers the wider area, and if you plan to spend a day or two in the city before or after the races, our guide to a Tartu city break is a good place to start.
What can you bring into the stadium, and what is not allowed?
You can bring your ticket, a thermos or water bottle, a seat pad and warm clothing into the stadium, but not your own food, umbrellas, drones or pyrotechnics. Knowing the rules in advance saves time at ticket control. We recommend reviewing the organiser’s FAQ for the latest version before you travel.
Bring with you:
- Your ticket, and for children aged 14 and under, a zero-price ticket from Piletilevi or from the venue before ticket control
- A thermos or water bottle, since your own food and other drinks are not allowed
- A seat pad, because seats are limited to two stands
- Warm layers, as most races take place in the evening
- Winter footwear suited to standing on snow for several hours
Leave at home:
- Your own food and drinks other than a thermos or water bottle
- Weapons and weapon-like objects
- Pyrotechnics
- Drones
- Umbrellas
- Political advertising and Russian or Belarusian symbols, which the organiser’s venue rules prohibit
Pets are not admitted to the venue, so arrange care for animals before race day. Your own food and drink may not be brought in, so plan a proper meal before you arrive.
Do children get in free, and are there seats in the stands?
Children aged 14 and under enter the Biathlon World Championships in Otepää free of charge, but they need a zero-price ticket to pass ticket control. You can get one through Piletilevi in advance or on site before the ticket gates. Without it, children cannot enter the competition area, so collect it before you join the queue.
Seats are available only in the VIP stand and the C stand, and tickets for both are unnumbered, so seating is first come, first served. All other stands are standing areas. If you want to sit, arrive early. If you will be standing, a seat pad gives you somewhere to rest between races. You can buy tickets via the organiser’s ticket page, where day tickets for all competition days are now on sale.
Wheelchair users can watch from the A stand with a ticket, and their companion enters free of charge. Accessible parking is at the junction of Tehvandi Street and Valga Road.
How should you plan a race day when the starts are in the evening?
Plan an evening race day around a morning outdoors, an early afternoon rest and an early dinner, then reach Tehvandi well before the start. This rhythm lets you enjoy the region without arriving at the stadium tired or hungry.
- Spend the morning outdoors. The Otepää area has cross-country ski trails and winter walking routes, and guided snowshoe hikes are organised locally. The quiet morning hours are the best time to enjoy the nature park.
- Have a proper lunch. Because you cannot bring food into the stadium, a substantial lunch keeps your energy up through a long afternoon and evening.
- Rest or choose something indoors. If the cold has caught up with you, an indoor hour helps. For golfers, indoor simulator golf is an easy way to spend an afternoon out of the weather.
- Eat an early dinner. With races starting between 16:45 and 19:30, an early dinner means you arrive at the stadium comfortable rather than rushed.
- Arrive at Tehvandi Sports Centre well before the start. Ticket control and finding your place take time when thousands of visitors arrive at once. We suggest being at the entrance at least 45 minutes before the scheduled start.
Following this rhythm means the logistics fade into the background and the racing, the atmosphere and the winter scenery stay in the foreground.
Dinner, sauna and meeting rooms at Otepää Golf & Country Club
If you are looking for a place to gather your group before or after a race, Otepää Golf & Country Club is about 6 km from Tehvandi Sports Centre in a straight line and about 37 km from Tartu Airport. The clubhouse sits in Otepää Nature Park, and the restaurant looks out over the nature park, the Mäha and Saagjärv lakes and the golf course.
The restaurant offers group menus. For group orders, the number of guests and the chosen menu are confirmed by email at least one week in advance. You can explore the restaurant’s group menus on our website and reach the restaurant at restoran@otepaagolf.com or by phone on +372 5300 8850. We are happy to help in English and Estonian.
The clubhouse also has saunas, seminar rooms for 50 and 20 people and a cigar lounge, which suit corporate groups that want a private setting for a meeting or a team dinner during the championships. The golf centre also has a Fullswing Golf winter simulator from the USA. Browse our golf centre facilities, our page on corporate events and our guide to team days and corporate events.
The whole region will be busy during the championships, so please check availability and book well in advance. To ask about group bookings, menus or any of our facilities, contact the team or review the restaurant’s group menus online. We hope your visit to the Biathlon World Championships 2027 in Otepää is one you remember for years to come.