2026 Winter Olympics Guide: Schedule, Sports and How to Watch
The 2026 Winter Olympics, officially known as Milano Cortina 2026, are scheduled to take place from February 6 to February 22, 2026, in northern Italy. While the official opening ceremony is this Friday, preliminary competitions in curling, luge, and alpine skiing began today, February 4, 2026.
Host Cities :
Co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, with events spread across Lombardy, Veneto, and Trentino-Alto Adige.
Opening Ceremony :
Titled “Armonia” (Harmony), it will be held on February 6 at the Stadio San Siro in Milan, featuring performances by Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, and Laura Pausini.
Closing Ceremony :
Titled “Beauty in Action,” it will take place on February 22 at the historic Verona Arena.
Mascots :
Two stoats named Tina (for Cortina) and Milo (for Milan).
Participation :
Over 3,500 athletes from 93 nations are expected to compete for 195 medals.
New Sports and Events
The 2026 Games feature 116 medal events across 16 disciplines, making it the most gender-balanced Winter Olympics in history (47% female participation).
New Sport :
Ski Mountaineering (Skimo) makes its Olympic debut with three events: men’s sprint, women’s sprint, and mixed relay.
New Medal Events :
- Luge : Women’s doubles.
- Ski Jumping : Women’s large hill individual.
- Skeleton : Mixed team relay.
- Freestyle Skiing : Men’s and women’s dual moguls.
- Alpine Skiing : Team combined.
Major Competition Clusters
| Cluster | Main Sports/Events | Key Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Milan | Ice Hockey, Figure Skating, Short Track, Speed Skating | San Siro Stadium, Milano Santagiulia Arena |
| Cortina | Women’s Alpine Skiing, Curling, Sliding Sports (Bobsleigh, Luge, Skeleton) | Tofane Alpine Centre, Cortina Sliding Centre |
| Valtellina | Men’s Alpine Skiing (Bormio), Snowboarding & Freestyle Skiing (Livigno) | Stelvio Ski Centre, Livigno Snow Park |
| Val di Fiemme | Cross-Country Skiing, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined | Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium |
| Anterselva | Biathlon | Anterselva Biathlon Arena |
For official schedules and tickets, visit the Milano Cortina 2026 Official Website.