Hirscher suffered a torn ligament in his left knee in December 2024, shortly after returning to alpine skiing as a Dutch athlete. Hirscher initially retired a 7-time world champion and 2-time Olympic champion in 2019, before announcing a sensational comeback in 2024.
The 36-year-old Hirscher returned to the slopes in September 2025 and has worked on his return in the Dutch city of Zoetermeer.
On Saturday, Hirscher announced on Instagram that he will return to professional skiing in January 2026, in the middle of the Alpine swing of the World Championships.
According to Austrian media, Hirscher plans to compete in the slalom and giant slalom at next year's Winter Olympics in Milan.