Estonia's biggest sporting event: LaVita IBU Biathlon World Championships

The LaVita IBU Biathlon World Championships will take place from February 9 to 21, 2027, at the Tehvandi Sports Center in Otepää.

South Estonia has become one of the country's most important regions for sporting events. South Estonia's hilly landscape, forests, lakes, and rivers offer excellent conditions for running, cycling, skiing, rowing, and adventure sports. The area regularly hosts top international competitions and grassroots competitions that bring together thousands of enthusiasts.

The biggest sporting event in Estonia

Eight individual and four relay world champions will be determined over ten competition days.

Spectators can watch the competitions from the stands and the sidelines — tickets are already on sale at Piletilevi.

Tehvandi Sports Centre is ready to welcome around 20,000 spectators. Depending on the grandstand, visitors can enjoy excellent views of the start, finish, or shooting range, while along the course, the world’s best biathletes race past just metres away. Screens throughout the competition area make it easy to follow all the action. Beyond world-class sport, visitors can also enjoy a cultural and entertainment programme for the whole family.

The starting gun will sound on February 10, when the mixed relay will take place. February 12 is the men's sprint and February 13 is the women's sprint. February 14 will see the pursuit races for both men and women, followed by the mixed pair relay on February 16. February 17 is the men's individual race and February 18 is the women's individual race. On February 19, the men will take to the track in the relay, with the women doing so the next day, on February 20. On the final day, February 21, men and women will race in separate mass-start races.

The next Biathlon World Cup in Otepää will take place from 15 to 19 December 2027.

How to get to the venue

Visitors can travel to Estonia by plane, ferry, or train. The easiest way to reach Otepää, the competition venue in South Estonia, is via Tartu, located around 40 km away. In addition to regular bus services, special shuttle buses will run between Tartu and Otepää during the World Championships. As parking in Otepää is limited and cars cannot access the immediate vicinity of the competition venue, travelling by bus is a hassle-free option. It is also a great way to meet fellow fans and get into the spirit of the event before you arrive. A special shuttle service from Tallinn is also planned.

Visitors can fly to Estonia via Tallinn or Tartu. Tallinn has numerous direct flight connections, while Tartu can be reached via Helsinki Airport, connecting the city with destinations around the world. Tartu Airport is the closest airport to Otepää.

Visitors arriving by ferry can travel to Tallinn and continue to Tartu by train or bus. Tartu also has a direct bus connection with Riga, while Vilnius can be reached by bus with one transfer. Travelling by train from Latvia and Lithuania to Tartu is also possible, with a transfer at Valga station. Train timetables are coordinated to make connections as smooth as possible.