The Fabio Canal Cross-Country Skiing and Biathlon Centre is located in Lago di Tesero, in Val di Fiemme, in the Autonomous Province of Trento. Built in the 1990s for the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, it hosted the competitions of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
The idea of building a cross-country skiing centre dates back to the mid-1980s, when Val di Fiemme was first considered as a candidate to host the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.
Lago di Tesero was chosen as the site thanks to its central location within the valley, its excellent accessibility (via the SP232 Val di Fiemme road, built specifically for the 1991 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships), and its suitability for artificial snowmaking in the event of adverse weather conditions or insufficient natural snowfall. The stadium is located on the left bank of the Avisio stream, providing direct access to the water required for snow production.
Following the award of the first FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in 1988, Lago di Tesero was selected for the construction of the Cross-Country Ski Stadium, starting with a 17 km competition course. The area at Lago di Tesero was chosen for its central location and because it made it possible to build the facility while minimising environmental impact, limiting tree felling and reducing earthworks to a minimum.
The Lago di Tesero Cross-Country Ski Stadium underwent a major redevelopment ahead of the 2003 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. The venue was upgraded with the facilities required to ensure the smooth running of competitions, while also being designed for year-round use.
The improvements included the construction of an ice arena, offices for ski rental and the ski school, new grandstands, a bar and restaurant, and several technical facilities, including ski waxing rooms and changing rooms. New parking areas were also created, while the snowmaking and lighting systems were significantly upgraded. Finally, the competition courses were redesigned, reclaimed, adapted and widened, resulting in a state-of-the-art cross-country skiing venue.
Following the award of the 2013 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, the stadium was further expanded and modernised.
The redevelopment began with the construction of a 2,000-square-metre underground garage and storage facility, used during the Championships as the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) support area and as a garage for snow groomers. A commentators' building was also erected in the finish area, housing 24 commentary booths, a shared lounge with kitchenette, additional operational spaces, and the anti-doping centre.
The race offices and press centre were also enlarged, creating additional spaces that continue to serve the venue after major events. Today, these facilities are home to the local dance school and ski school. Finally, the competition courses were upgraded to meet the latest FIS standards, and the snowmaking system was further enhanced.
The Fabio Canal Cross-Country Skiing Centre in Lago di Tesero, which has already hosted three editions of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships and hundreds of FIS World Cup competitions, has undergone a series of renovation and upgrade works to make it even more efficient and fully compliant with the latest international standards. The aim is to ensure that the venue remains a world-class facility well beyond the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
The concepts of legacy and sustainability, strongly promoted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and embraced by the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation and the Autonomous Province of Trento, have guided every aspect of the project. The objective has been to create a state-of-the-art sports facility that is not only highly functional for elite competition, but also environmentally sustainable and capable of serving athletes, visitors and the local community throughout the year.
The main redevelopment projects carried out in preparation for the Milano Cortina 2026 Games include:
- Underground service area: adjacent to the start/finish area, a new underground facility houses 20 ski waxing cabins and 20 changing rooms. This long-awaited addition brings the waxing area much closer to the competition stadium, improving operational efficiency during events.
- Expansion of the FISI Performance Laboratory: two additional floors have been added to create functional testing laboratories and strength and conditioning facilities. This development makes the centre unique in Italy and enables it to serve as the main national training and research hub for the Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI) in cross-country skiing, Nordic combined and biathlon.
- Stadium digitalisation project: developed in partnership with the University of Trento and CeRiSM (Research Centre for Sport, Mountain and Health) in Rovereto, this initiative is part of a wider collaboration launched in 2021 to introduce innovative digital technologies to the sports facilities of Val di Fiemme and Val di Fassa.
- Hostel: located within the commentators' building constructed for the 2013 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, the facility offers flexible accommodation. During World Cup events, the rooms are used as commentary booths, while for the rest of the year they are converted into hostel rooms, providing accommodation for more than 40 guests. The hostel also includes bathrooms, changing rooms, showers, a fully equipped kitchen and a multifunctional room that can be used as a dining area, meeting room or shared common space.
- Rollerski track: to encourage year-round use of the centre, a new roller ski track with a loop of approximately 2.5 km has been completed, allowing training and recreational activities from May to October.
