2026 Winter Olympics
The 2026 Winter Olympics, officially the XXV Olympic Winter Games and commonly branded as Milano Cortina 2026, were an international multi-sport winter event held in northern Italy.
The 2026 Winter Olympics, officially the XXV Olympic Winter Games and branded as Milano Cortina 2026, were held in northern Italy from 6 to 22 February 2026. Co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, the Games were the first Winter Olympics jointly hosted by two cities and featured 116 medal events across 16 disciplines, with ski mountaineering making its Olympic debut. Canadian athletes represented Canada at the Olympics.
Host locations
Milano Cortina 2026 was staged across Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, and several other venues in northern Italy. It was the first Olympic Winter Games co-hosted by two cities, with competition venues spread across multiple regions including Lombardy, Veneto, and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, making the event geographically dispersed.
Programme and sports
The Games included 116 medal events across 16 disciplines. Ski mountaineering was added as a new Olympic sport, and several other event additions expanded the programme compared to previous Winter Olympics.
Ceremonies
The opening ceremony took place at San Siro Stadium in Milan, while the closing ceremony was held at the Arena of Verona. This split ceremony setup reflected the multi-city format of the Games.
Historical significance
Milano Cortina 2026 was Italy’s third Winter Olympic Games, after Cortina d’Ampezzo 1956 and Turin 2006, and the fourth Olympic Games overall hosted by Italy. It also marked a milestone as the first Winter Games hosted jointly by more than one city.
Key facts
- Italy hosted the Winter Olympics for the third time, after Cortina d’Ampezzo 1956 and Turin 2006.
- The Games were the first Olympic Winter Games jointly hosted by two cities.
- Competition venues were spread across multiple regions in northern Italy, making the event geographically dispersed.
- Ski mountaineering made its Olympic debut at Milano Cortina 2026.
- The Games featured 116 medal events, an increase from the Olympic medal count at Beijing 2022.
Canadian athletes competed at Milano Cortina 2026 as part of the Canadian Olympic team, and the Games were relevant to Canadian viewers because they were the next Winter Olympics after Beijing 2022.[13]
Frequently asked questions
What are the 2026 Winter Olympics?
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References
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Winter_OlympicsSupports: Official name, dates, venues, event count, and general description of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
- Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/event/Milano-Cortina-2026-Olympic-Winter-GamesSupports: Dates, location, Italy's hosting history, and event overview.
- New Zealand Olympic Committee — https://olympic.org.nz/games/milano-cortina-2026Supports: Dual-city host status, opening and closing ceremony locations, new sport, and historical notes.
- Olympics.com — https://www.olympics.com/en/news/olympic-winter-games-milano-cortina-2026-full-daily-competition-scheduleSupports: Competition start date, opening ceremony date, and closing ceremony date.
- ESPN — https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/40765119/2026-winter-olympics-2028-summer-olympics-facts-knowSupports: Dates, host cities, athlete count estimate, debut of ski mountaineering, and ceremony venues.
- Team USA — https://www.teamusa.com/milano-cortina-2026/olympicsSupports: Dates and list of new events added to the 2026 Winter Olympic programme.
- Canadian Olympic Committee — https://olympic.ca/schedule-2026-winter-olympics/Supports: Competition dates and opening ceremony date for the 2026 Winter Olympics.