Photo: Team Zampa
The BILLA Žampa Cup is making the biggest international expansion in its history, taking the children’s ski racing series to seven countries across two continents for the 2026-27 season.
The 12th season opens Nov. 14 with an indoor giant slalom at Ski Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, marking the first Žampa Cup event outside Europe. From there, the series will travel through six European countries before concluding with a three-day finale at Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia, in March.
And Ski Racing Media will be along for the journey.
From Štrbské Pleso to Dubai
The 2026-27 calendar is the most ambitious in Žampa Cup history. Three destinations — Ski Dubai, Oberstdorf and Bansko — are joining the series for the first time.
The season begins Nov. 14 with a giant slalom inside Ski Dubai, including a special U18 category. From there, the series returns to Europe, moving through different venues and race formats before culminating March 19-21 at Štrbské Pleso.
For Andreas Žampa, taking the series as far as Dubai reflects one of the central ideas behind the project: accessibility.
“For us, there are no borders,” Žampa said, explaining that the goal is to make skiing accessible to professionals, amateurs and skiers with disabilities while helping the sport reach new communities.
The Dubai event also has an unusual origin story. Teo Žampa first recognized the potential while visiting Ski Dubai and seeing the interest within its local skiing community. He brought the idea to Andreas, and what began as a possibility gradually developed into the first Middle Eastern stop in Žampa Cup history.
2026-27 BILLA Žampa Cup Calendar
- Nov. 14 — Ski Dubai, United Arab Emirates — Giant slalom
- Jan. 16 — Pec pod Sněžkou, Czech Republic — Kombi race
- Feb. 14 — Oberstdorf, Germany — Ski cross
- Feb. 20 — Lech Zürs am Arlberg, Austria — Ski Challenge
- Feb. 27 — Białka Tatrzańska, Poland — Downhill
- March TBC — Bansko, Bulgaria — Giant slalom
- March 19-21 — Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia — Parallel slalom and three-day finale
Ski Racing Media and Žampa Cup Join Forces
For the upcoming season, Ski Racing Media and the Žampa Cup will collaborate to bring the stories behind the series closer to an international skiing audience.
Throughout the winter, SRM will follow selected stories, athletes and moments from the Žampa Cup as the series travels across Europe and beyond. The collaboration will also include joint giveaways, giving ski fans another way to connect with the project.
The collaboration follows SRM’s recent feature on Adam, Andreas and Teo Žampa and the family story behind an event that began with roughly 30 children at Štrbské Pleso and gradually developed into an international series.
The Mission Hasn’t Changed
The geography may be changing, but the philosophy behind the Žampa Cup remains close to where it started in 2014.
The series is open to competitive young racers and recreational “Hobby” skiers, with no entry fee required to participate. The goal extends beyond organizing children’s races. The brothers want young skiers to experience some of the atmosphere surrounding elite ski racing while making the sport more accessible to families.
“The Žampa Cup is special mainly because of its family atmosphere,” Teo Žampa said. “Together with my brothers, we want to give children the opportunity to experience the feeling elite athletes have at the highest level.”
Adam Žampa points to another important element: The event is designed to be as much a day centered around sport as it is a race. A partner zone, activities and opportunities to experience other sports accompany the skiing, creating an environment intended to draw children toward movement and sport regardless of their result on the course.
A Path Toward the World Cup
The connection between children’s racing and the highest level of the sport is becoming increasingly tangible.
The Žampa Cup continues its cooperation with the Audi FIS Ski World Cup in Alta Badia. Clubs bringing at least five children to three events will enter a season-ending draw, with five clubs receiving prizes. The top prize will send six children and two coaches to experience the World Cup in Alta Badia.
The series also continues its connection with the Hahnenkamm races in Kitzbühel. Following the Štrbské Pleso finale, the top three Slovak girls and boys will earn places on the Slovak team for the Longines Future Hahnenkamm Champions, giving the young racers an opportunity to compete on the Ganslern during Hahnenkamm week.
For the Žampa brothers, those experiences are about much more than a prize.
Teo remembers accompanying young skiers to Alta Badia and seeing their excitement at meeting the world of ski racing they normally experience from a distance.
“It is very important for children who do what they love to have role models,” he said. “I’m happy that together with my brothers we are creating a platform where kids can experience this and fulfill their dreams through the Žampa Cup as well.”
Seven Stops, One Idea
Twelve years ago, it would have been difficult to imagine that a race for roughly 30 children at Štrbské Pleso would eventually connect ski communities from the Tatra Mountains to the Alps, Germany, Bulgaria — and now the Middle East.
Even the brothers themselves did not expect it.
“We definitely didn’t think the Žampa Cup would one day be in so many countries,” Adam Žampa said. “But we grow every year, and every year we try to create something more unique, something better.”
The scale is changing. The underlying message is not.
Before the new season, Teo’s advice to young racers is simple: Enjoy skiing, have fun and don’t let results become a source of stress.
A fitting message for a children’s race that started small — and is now preparing for its biggest season yet.
About the Author: Darka Sefcik Starnova
