The global sporting spotlight turns to Italy as Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo prepare to host the 25th Winter Olympics from 6th to 22nd February 2026, with preliminary events starting on 4th February. This prestigious event will feature approximately 3,000 athletes from 90 nations competing across snow and ice disciplines, promising thrilling action and Olympic glory.
Event Locations and Venues Across 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 northern and north-eastern Italy, blending urban sophistication with alpine charm. Milan, Italy's vibrant financial and fashion capital, will host most indoor events, including figure skating, short track speed skating, and ice hockey at arenas such as the Milano Ice Skating Arena and Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
In contrast, the historic ski resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo, which last welcomed the Winter Olympics in 1956, will be the hub for snow and sliding events like curling, bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton. The Valtellina region will also play a crucial role, hosting freestyle skiing, snowboarding, and alpine skiing events in towns like Livigno.
Complete List of Competition Venues
- Antholz/Anterselva: Anterselva Biathlon Arena for biathlon.
- Bormio: Stelvio Ski Centre for alpine skiing and ski mountaineering.
- Cortina d'Ampezzo: Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium for curling; Cortina Sliding Centre for bobsleigh, luge, skeleton; Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre for alpine skiing.
- Livigno: Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park and Livigno Snow Park for freestyle skiing and snowboard.
- Milan: Multiple venues including Milano Ice Skating Arena, Milano San Siro Olympic Stadium for the Opening Ceremony, and Milano Speed Skating Stadium.
- Predazzo: Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium for ski jumping and Nordic combined.
- Tesero: Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium for cross-country skiing and Nordic combined.
Ceremonies and Schedule Highlights
The Opening Ceremony on 6th February will officially launch the games at San Siro Stadium, home to AC Milan and Inter Milan, with performances by American singer Mariah Carey and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. Due to the vast geographical spread of the games—spanning over 530 miles—elements of the ceremony will be broadcast from Livigno, Predazzo, and Cortina. Preliminary events begin on 4th February with mixed doubles curling, followed by ice hockey and snowboarding on 5th February. The Closing Ceremony will take place on 22nd February at the iconic Verona Arena in Verona.
New Sports and Events Debuting in 2026
This edition introduces ski mountaineering, or skimo, as a new sport, featuring sprint races for men and women and a mixed relay. This discipline combines uphill climbing with downhill skiing, all timed for maximum excitement. Additionally, eight new events will debut, including mixed team skeleton, women's doubles luge, women's large hill ski jumping, men's and women's dual moguls in freestyle skiing, and team combined in alpine skiing. Notably, ice hockey will see National Hockey League players participating for the first time since 2014, with nearly 1.2 million tickets sold for these events already.
Team GB's Medal Prospects and Athletes to Watch
Team GB is sending 53 athletes to Milan-Cortina, aiming to surpass their best-ever haul of five medals from Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018. Key contenders include Matt Weston, a two-time world champion in skeleton, and Marcus Wyatt, ranked third globally in the same sport. In curling, Britain's most successful winter Olympic discipline, Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds lead the mixed doubles team, while Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson hope to secure Britain's first ice skating medal since Torvill and Dean in 1984.
Other hopefuls include Zoe Atkin, 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 Controversies
The games are represented by mascots Milo and Tina, brown and white stoats designed by students and chosen by public vote, symbolising the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games respectively. However, the event has not been without controversy, as protests in Milan erupted over the deployment of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for security, though officials clarify these are from a different unit than those involved in recent incidents in the US.
As anticipation builds, the 2026 Winter Olympics promise to deliver unforgettable moments of athletic excellence and cultural celebration in the heart of Italy.
