Winter Olympics 2026: All to know about Milan-Cortina Games in Italy

Ice hockey, skating, skiing & snowboarding events take centre stage as Games return to Alps for first time in 20 years.

The 25th Winter Olympics will be held in Milan-Cortina, Italy.

About 3,500 athletes will participate in 116 events, 16 disciplines, with the event staged over 19 days.

Here’s all to know before the Games:

The Winter Olympics officially begin on Friday.

​​The first qualifying rounds begin on Wednesday, with the first medals awarded on Saturday. ​​

The games will conclude with the closing ceremony at the Verona Olympic Arena on February 22.

The Olympics will be officially launched at the opening ceremony on Friday.

For the first time, the ceremony will take place across multiple locations, with the main action centred around Milan’s iconic 80,000-seat San Siro Stadium, home of the city’s two famous football clubs, AC Milan and Inter Milan.

Celebrations will also take place in Predazzo, Livigno, and Cortina d’Ampezzo, where delegations will parade in the areas of their respective competitions. ​

The opening ceremony includes a lineup of popular Italian and international artists, including American pop star Mariah Carey.

About 60,000 spectators are expected to attend the ceremony.

The Winter Games will take place against the stunning backdrop of two main hubs: Milan, the second-most populous city in Italy, and Cortina, an upscale winter resort in the Dolomites mountain range in the Alps.

With additional events held elsewhere across the north of the country, Milan-Cortina 2026 will be the most spread-out Winter Games in history.

The games are divided into four main clusters:

Verona will also be involved, hosting the closing ceremony and then the opening of the Paralympics on March 6.