Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics 2026: A Comprehensive Guide for Fans and Athletes

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The 25th Winter Olympics are set to take place in Milan-Cortina, Italy, marking the country’s return as host for the first time in 20 years. Approximately 3,500 athletes will participate in 116 events, spanning 16 disciplines, over a period of 19 days.

The games officially commence on Friday, with the first qualifying rounds beginning on Wednesday and the first medals being awarded on Saturday. The closing ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Verona Olympic Arena on February 22.

For the first time, the opening ceremony will be held across multiple locations, with the main event centered around Milan’s San Siro Stadium. Delegations from participating countries will also parade in their respective competition areas in Predazzo, Livigno, and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The ceremony will feature a lineup of Italian and international artists, including American pop star Mariah Carey, with an expected attendance of approximately 60,000 spectators.

The Winter Games will be held against the backdrop of Milan and Cortina, two main hubs in Italy. The games are divided into four main clusters, with additional events taking place across the north of the country.

Italy has hosted the Olympics four times overall, previously in 1956, 2006, and 1960. The official Olympic media rights holders will broadcast the games in several countries, including Peacock and NBC Olympics in the United States, CBC Gem and TOU.tv in Canada, the BBC and Discovery+ in the United Kingdom, and NRK and HBO Max in Norway.

Some of the key events at the Winter Games include alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, figure skating, ski jumping, and ice hockey. Freestyle snowboarding events featuring athletes such as Mark McMorris, Scotty James, and Marcus Kleveland will also be held.

Ski mountaineering, known as “skimo,” is making its Olympic debut in Milan-Cortina 2026, with sprint races for men and women and a mixed relay. The Winter Games 2026 will feature eight sports and 16 disciplines.

Notable athletes competing in the games include Lindsey Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin, Chloe Kim, Ryoyu Kobayashi, Domen Prevc, Eileen Gu, and Sidney Crosby.

Source: Al Jazeera