The stage is set for a spectacular celebration of winter sports as Italy prepares to host the 25th Winter Olympic Games in 2026. With Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo as the dual host cities, this event promises to blend high-fashion urban energy with classic alpine charm. Approximately 3,000 athletes from 90 nations will compete across snow and ice disciplines, aiming for Olympic glory from 6th to 22nd February, with preliminary events kicking off on 4th February.
Venues and Event Locations Across Northern Italy
A total of 116 events spanning eight sports will unfold over 19 days of intense competition. The games will utilise 15 venues scattered across the north and north-east of Italy, ensuring a diverse and picturesque backdrop for the action.
Milan, Italy's bustling financial and fashion capital, will host most indoor sports. This includes figure skating, short track speed skating, and ice hockey events at venues like the Milano Ice Skating Arena and Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. The iconic San Siro Stadium, home to AC Milan and Inter Milan, will serve as the stage for the grand opening ceremony.
In contrast, the historic ski resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo, which last hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956, will be the heart of snow and sliding events. Here, athletes will compete in curling, bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton at dedicated facilities such as the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium and Cortina Sliding Centre.
The Valtellina region will also play a crucial role, hosting freestyle skiing, snowboarding, and alpine skiing events in towns like Livigno and Bormio. Other key venues include the Anterselva Biathlon Arena in Antholz for biathlon, the Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium for ski jumping and Nordic combined, and the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium for cross-country skiing.
Ceremonies and Star-Studded Performances
The opening ceremony on 6th February at San Siro Stadium will officially launch the games with a blend of musical excellence. Headliners include American superstar Mariah Carey and renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, promising a memorable start to the festivities.
Competition begins earlier, with the mixed doubles curling event starting on 4th February, followed by ice hockey and snowboarding on 5th February. The games will conclude with the closing ceremony on 22nd February at the historic Verona Arena in Verona, offering a fitting finale to the Olympic spectacle.
New Sports and Events Debuting in 2026
This edition of the Winter Olympics introduces several exciting firsts, most notably the inclusion of ski mountaineering as a new sport. Also known as skimo, this discipline combines uphill climbing using skis with adhesive fabric, foot ascents, and downhill skiing, all timed against the clock. Events will include sprint races for men and women and a mixed relay.
In addition to the new sport, eight new events will debut across various disciplines. These include mixed team skeleton, featuring one male and one female athlete per nation, and women's doubles in luge, ensuring gender equality in medal opportunities. Other newcomers are women's large hill in ski jumping, men's and women's dual moguls in freestyle skiing, and team combined in alpine skiing.
Ice hockey fans have reason to celebrate, as nearly 1.2 million tickets have already been sold. This marks the first time since 2014 that players from the professional North American National Hockey League (NHL) will be eligible to compete, adding star power to the tournament.
Team GB's Medal Hopefuls and Prospects
Team GB is sending a contingent of 53 athletes to Milan-Cortina, with high hopes of surpassing the nation's best-ever haul of five medals, achieved in Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018. Among the top contenders is Matt Weston, a two-time world champion in skeleton and Crystal Globe winner, who is considered a strong favourite for gold. His teammate, Marcus Wyatt, currently third in the world rankings, also poses a serious threat.
Curling has historically been Britain's most successful winter sport at the Olympics, with five medals from the last six games. Bruce Mouat captains the men's team and leads the mixed doubles event alongside Jennifer Dodds, a Beijing gold medallist, making them key medal prospects.
In ice dance, Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson, world and European bronze medallists, aim to secure Britain's first ice skating medal since Torvill and Dean in 1984. Other hopefuls include Zoe Atkin, the reigning world champion in women's freestyle skiing, Kirsty Muir in big air and slopestyle skiing, and snowboarder Mia Brookes, who had seven podium finishes in 2025.
Mascots and Cultural Symbols
The games are represented by mascots Milo and Tina, brown and white stoats designed by students at the Istituto Comprensivo of Taverna and chosen through a public poll. Tina, the light-coloured stoat, symbolises the Olympic Winter Games, while Milo, her darker-furred younger brother, represents the Paralympic Winter Games. Their names pay homage to the host cities, Milan and Cortina.
Security and Controversial Deployments
Ahead of the games, protests erupted in Milan over the deployment of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The US state department confirmed that several federal agencies, including ICE, would assist in protecting American visitors, as has been done in previous Olympics. However, this move sparked outrage in Italy following the fatal shooting of two US citizens by federal agents during protests against ICE operations in Minnesota. It is noted that the ICE agents deployed in Milan are from a different unit, Homeland Security Investigations, which focuses on cross-border crimes and often provides security support at international events like the Olympics.
