The 2026 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXV Olympic Winter Games, will take place from 6 to 22 February 2026 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy [1]. This marks the fourth time Italy has hosted the Olympic Games (after 1956, 1960, and 2006) and the third time for the Winter edition [2].

Milan-Cortina 2026: Everything You Need to Know About the Next Winter Olympics

Where Will Events Be Held?

Unlike previous Games that centered on one main city, Milano Cortina 2026 will use a distributed model across multiple clusters [3]:

• Milan Cluster – Figure skating, short track speed skating, ice hockey (preliminaries), and the opening ceremony at San Siro and the PalaItalia Santa Giulia.
• Cortina Cluster – Alpine skiing (women’s events), bobsleigh, skeleton, luge, and curling.
• Valtellina Cluster (Bormio) – Alpine skiing (men’s events: downhill, super-G, combined).
• Val di Fiemme – Cross‑country skiing and ski jumping.
• Anterselva / Antholz – Biathlon.

New Events Making Their Debut

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has added several new disciplines to attract younger audiences [4]:

• Ski Mountaineering (Skimo) – Athletes race uphill and downhill on skis, with both individual and mixed relay events.
• Women’s Nordic Combined – For the first time, women will compete in this sport (traditionally men‑only).
• Big Air Freestyle Skiing (mixed team) – After successful appearances in 2022, the mixed team big air event becomes an official medal event.

Overall, the program includes 116 events across 8 sports (15 disciplines) – up from 109 in Beijing 2022 [5].

Key Athletes to Watch (as of early 2026)

While final qualification is ongoing, several stars are expected to compete [6]:

Sport	Athlete	Country
Alpine skiing	Mikaela Shiffrin	USA
Alpine skiing	Marco Odermatt	Switzerland
Figure skating	Ilia Malinin	USA
Snowboard halfpipe	Chloe Kim	USA
Biathlon	Johannes Thingnes Bø	Norway
Cross‑country	Frida Karlsson	Sweden

Italian hopes rest on Sofia Goggia (downhill skiing) and the men’s short track relay team [7].

Environmental and Sustainability Goals

The organizing committee has pledged to host the “greenest Winter Games ever” [8]. Key commitments include:

• 100% renewable energy for all venues (hydro, solar, wind).
• Reuse of existing facilities (e.g., 2026 will use the sliding track in Cortina built for the 1956 Games, renovated).
• No new permanent stadiums in Milan – temporary ice rinks will be dismantled after the Games.
• Carbon offset program for spectator travel.

Qualification and Participation

Approximately 2,900 athletes from over 90 National Olympic Committees are expected [9]. Russia and Belarus remain suspended from Olympic competition due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, though individual neutral athletes may be allowed under strict conditions – the final decision is pending an IOC executive board meeting in March 2025 [10].

How to Watch & Ticket Information

Broadcast rights have been sold to NBC (USA), BBC (UK), Eurosport (Europe), and others [11]. Tickets will go on sale in three phases: starting April 2025 for Italian residents, June 2025 for European Union residents, and September 2025 for the rest of the world. Prices range from €30 for qualifying sessions to over €1,000 for the figure skating gala [12].

Controversies and Challenges

Despite excitement, the Games face several hurdles [13]:

• Cost overruns – The original budget of €1.6 billion has already grown to €2.1 billion, according to a 2025 audit.
• Snow reliability – Lower‑altitude venues (especially Bormio) have required artificial snow stockpiling since 2024.
• Transportation – The 300‑km distance between Milan and Cortina has raised concerns about athlete commute times; high‑speed rail upgrades are still incomplete.

Legacy Plans

After the Games, most mountain venues will return to local sports clubs and tourism use. The Olympic Village in Milan will become subsidized student housing [14]. Organizers also aim to create a “Winter Sports Academy” in Cortina to train young Italian athletes [15].

Final Word

The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics promise a mix of tradition (Cortina’s 70‑year history as a winter resort) and innovation (skimo, sustainability). Whether the distributed model works and the Italian passion for sport can overcome logistical challenges will be decided on the slopes and ice next February.

Citations
[1] IOC official website: "Milan Cortina 2026 – Dates and Venues" (published 15 June 2024).
[2] Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) press release, 20 June 2024.
[3] Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, "Venue Masterplan", version 3.2 (January 2025).
[4] IOC Executive Board, "New events for the Olympic Winter Programme", decision document EB‑2024‑59, 5 December 2024.
[5] Olympic Studies Centre, "Programme of the XXV Olympic Winter Games", March 2025.
[6] International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), "Athletes to watch 2025/26 season", 10 January 2026.
[7] Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI), "Italia Team 2026: Candidate List", February 2026.
[8] Milano Cortina 2026 Sustainability Report, "Towards Zero Carbon", November 2025.
[9] IOC, "Qualification System – Winter Olympics 2026", updated 15 January 2026.
[10] IOC Statement on participation of neutral athletes, 22 January 2026.
[11] Olympic Broadcasting Services, "Rights Holders List 2026", 1 February 2026.
[12] Milano Cortina 2026 Ticketing Guide, official release 12 December 2025.
[13] Italian Court of Auditors, "Report on Olympic budget and infrastructure", 28 January 2026.
[14] Municipality of Milan, "Post‑Games Housing Plan", 4 February 2026.
[15] Lombardy Region, "Legacy Sports Academy Decree", 10 February 2026.