Everything to Know Ahead of X Games Aspen 2026

Featured Image: Matt Power | Skier: Evan McEachran

X Games is back in Aspen this weekend, January 23 - 25, 2026. This marks the 25th year of the event, and the quarter-century anniversary arrives with some big changes, which we'll dive into. Or skip the updates and scroll down for full event overviews of knuckle huck, superpipe, big air and slopestyle!

In the year since Olympic mogul skier Jeremy Bloom was named X Games CEO, the brand has been in the news consistently. Last winter, Bloom and crew debuted sports betting and AI judging at X Games Aspen 2025 (the latter just for women's snowboard superpipe as a trial run), both of which were met with mixed reactions. Bloom then officially launched Owl AI last summer, a company dedicated to implementing AI in sports judging at large.

Additionally, the announcement of X Games League (XGL) caught fans by surprise. Bringing together athletes from both summer and winter X Games onto teams, this league promises to bring more money into the hands of competitors who have long been underpaid, though questions of how this would impact the exposure of each individual sport remain. Add in a poorly-received rebrand (see comments on THIS Instagram), and suddenly the reputation of the X Games was on the brink of erosion.

It's also worth noting that X Games has introduced ticket sales in Aspen this year, though daytime events like women's knuckle huck and men's slopestyle are still free. With different price points depending on the package, you'll need a ticket to attend each competition. As of 1/21/26, all are sold-out except for Silver and Gold Lounge options, whose pricing ranges from $500 to $1,500 for a single day. There are pros and cons to the ticket debate, so we'll let you make of it what you will.

But don't get it twisted; as long as passionate skiers are in the start gate, we'll be watching and covering the X Games with our full attention. And with that in mind, there is some serious talent on the docket this year, and it's hard to point to any one rider as a favorite. Last year, we watched Luca Harrington step in as a slopestyle alternate and claim gold a day later. If that doesn't speak to the incredible talent in freeskiing right now, what does?

Below you'll find event schedules, details and skiers to watch for men's and women's ski knuckle huck, superpipe, big air and slopestyle from January 23 - 25.

Friday, January 23

Women's Ski Knuckle Huck - 1:45 PM MST

A relatively recent addition to the X Games, knuckle huck has quickly become a fan favorite. Athletes use the "knuckle" of the big air jump (the rollover after the kicker) to throw their most stylish tricks. The event is judged on execution and difficulty of maneuvers, variety, progression of attempt, originality and style.

Finals Format: One heat of eight riders, 20 minute jam

Invited Skiers: Rell Harwood, Olivia Asselin, Anni Karava, Bella Bacon, Jennie Lee Burmansson, Alais Develay, Maria Esteban Una, Taylor Lundquist

Favorites to Watch: Rell Harwood, Tereza Korabova, Anni Karava, Olivia Asselin

Women's Ski SuperPipe - 6:15 PM MST

One of our favorite events every year, the X Games SuperPipe is about 567 feet long and 66 feet wide, with 22-foot walls. Skiers link tricks from wall to wall, attempting to get the most amplitude and maintain flow between tricks. SuperPipe is judged on progression, execution, difficulty, variety and amplitude.

Finals Format: One heat of eight riders, three runs each

Invited Skiers: Zoe Atkin, Eileen Gu, Li Fanghui, Cassie Sharpe, Amy Fraser, Rachael Karker, Hanna Faulhaber, Svea Irving

Favorites to Watch: Cassie Sharpe, Fanghui Li, Amy Fraser, Zoe Atkin, Svea Irving

Men's Ski Big Air - 7:30 PM MST

The big one (no pun intended). The Big Air course is 300 feet long and made up of a single 75-foot jump. A big change this year is that there are no combined scores in the finals, and the best trick will take the cake. Big Air is judged on aggressive execution of maneuvers, degree of difficulty and variety of tricks, originality and style.

Finals Format: One heat of 10, 20 minute jam

Invited Skiers: Miro Tabanelli, Luca Harrington, Troy Podmilsak, Mac Forehand, Alex Hall, Birk Ruud, Tormod Frostad, Henrik Harlaut, Dylan Deschamps, Elias Syrja

Favorites to Watch: Miro Tabanelli, Birk Ruud, Matěj Švancer, Troy Podmilsak, Alex Hall

Saturday, January 24

Men's Ski Slopestyle - 10:30 AM MST

The Slopestyle course is 1,700 feet long with six features, starting with rails and ending with jumps. The top of the course will test the athletes rail prowess with three different rail-based features. Then the remaining three booters will show off their jump skills. Slopestyle is judged on progression, execution, difficulty, variety and amplitude.

Finals Format: One heat of 12 riders, three runs each

Invited Skiers: Luca Harrington, Alex Hall, Birk Ruud, Andri Ragettli, Mac Forehand, Colby Stevenson, Tormod Frostad, Konnor Ralph, Sebastian Schjerve, Evan McEachran, Henrik Harlaut, Fabian Boesch

Favorites to Watch: Luca Harrington, Andri Ragettli, Mac Forehand, Henrik Harlaut, Colby Stevenson

Women's Ski Big Air - 12:45 PM MST

The big one (no pun intended). The Big Air course is around 300 feet long and made up of a single 75-foot jump. A big change this year is that there are no combined scores in the finals, and the best trick will take the cake. Big Air is judged on aggressive execution of maneuvers, degree of difficulty and variety of tricks, originality and style.

Finals Format: One heat of eight riders, 20 minute jam

Invited Skiers: Mathilde Gremaud, Flora Tabanelli, Tess Ledeux, Megan Oldham, Eileen Gu, Sarah Hoefflin, Kirsty, Muir, Anastasia Tatalina

Favorites to Watch: Flora Tabanelli, Tess Ledeux, Grace Henderson, Rell Harwood, Mathilde Gremaud

Men's Ski Knuckle Huck - 7:45 PM MST

A relatively recent addition to the X Games, knuckle huck has quickly become a fan favorite. Athletes use the "knuckle" of the big air jump (the rollover after the kicker) to throw their most stylish tricks. The event is judged on execution and difficulty of maneuvers, variety, progression of attempt, originality and style.

Finals Format: One heat of eight riders, 20 minute jam

Invited Skiers: Jesper Tjäder, Alex Hall, Colby Stevenson, Juho Saastamoinen, Danny Bacher, Ferdinand Dahl, Kuura Koivisto, Tormod Frostad

Favorites to Watch: Alex Hall, Kuura Koivisto, Juho Saastamoinen, Danny Bacher

Sunday, January 25

Women's Ski Slopestyle - 10:30 AM MST

The Slopestyle course is around 1,700 feet long with six features, starting with rails and ending with jumps. The top of the course will test the athletes rail prowess with three different rail-based features. Then the remaining three booters will show off their jump skills. Slopestyle is judged on progression, execution, difficulty, variety and amplitude.

Finals Format: One heat of eight riders, three runs each

Invited Skiers: Tess Ledeux, Mathilde Gremaud, Megan Oldham, Eileen Gu, Sarah Hoefflin, Kirsty Muir, Flora Tabanelli, Olivia Asselin

Favorites to Watch: Tess Ledeux, Olivia Asselin, Anni Karava, Megan Oldham

Men's Ski SuperPipe - 6:00 PM MST

One of our favorite events every year, the X Games SuperPipe is about 567 feet long and 66 feet wide, with 22-foot walls. Skiers link tricks from wall to wall, attempting to get the most amplitude and maintain flow between tricks. SuperPipe is judged on progression, execution, difficulty, variety and amplitude.

Finals Format: One heat of 10 riders, three runs each

Invited Skiers: Alex Ferreira, Finley Melville Ives, Nick Goepper, Luke Harrold, Brendan MacKay, Hunter Hess, David Wise, Birk Irving, Gus Kenworthy, Matt Labaugh

Favorites to Watch: Nick Goepper, Alex Ferreira, Hunter Hess, Finley Melville Ives, Birk Irving