Oberhof opened its doors to international competitions in 1983 with the inauguration of the former biathlon stadium on the occasion of the Army Paralympics. The World Cup stadium, which has regularly hosted biathlon World Cup races since 1984, was extensively renovated between 2001 and 2003 for the 2004 Biathlon World Championships. With the completion of the arena, the appeal of ski competitions in and around Oberhof has increased considerably. Since then, World Cup competitions in cross-country skiing and Nordic combined have also been held here. The enthusiasm of the fans and the unique atmosphere in the "cauldron" at the Grenzadler have turned Oberhof into a Mecca for biathlon sports. This is one of the reasons why Oberhof was awarded the contract for the 2023 Biathlon World Championships in September 2018. The LOTTO Thüringen ARENA am Rennsteig is being sustainably renovated and modernized for this highlight and with a view to future competitions and events.