IT's Your Vibe
Official motto of Milan-Cortina 2026
The Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are not just a major international sporting event, but a wide-ranging project involving local areas, cities, infrastructure, and communities. For Italy, they represent a return to the Olympic spotlight twenty years after Turin 2006, but with a profoundly different approach, designed to respond to contemporary challenges related to sustainability, mobility, and urban heritage.
Unlike past Olympics, Milan Cortina 2026 will not be concentrated in a single city, but will be a widespread event, connecting large urban centers and Alpine resorts, enhancing areas already suited to winter sports. This makes this year's Winter Games not only a sporting event, but also an opportunity for cultural and infrastructural transformation.
The spectacle promises to be truly spectacular! Just think that in this edition of the Winter Olympics, the following will be awarded:
🥇245 Gold Medals
🥈245 Silver Medals
🥉254 Bronze Medals
(1,146 if we also consider those of the Paralympic Games!)
In this guide we have put together for you, you will find all the essential information: when the 2026 Winter Olympics will take place, which sports are on the program, where the competitions will be held, how tickets work, and how you can follow the events on television and via streaming.
What Are the 2026 Winter Olympics?
The Winter Olympics are an international sporting event organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and dedicated to disciplines practiced on snow and ice. They take place every four years and, together with the Summer Games, represent the pinnacle of world-class sporting competition.
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The 2026 edition will be the XXV Winter Olympics and marks the return of the Games to Italy twenty years after Turin 2006 and exactly 70 years after the edition held in Cortina d'Ampezzo in 1956.
🌍 90+
participating countries
👥 2.900
Olympic athletes
♿ 600+
Paralympic athletes
🏂 8
Olympic sports
🎿 16
Olympic disciplines
🥇 116
Olympic medal events
🥇 79
Paralympic medal events
📍 4
Main areas of competition
Milan Corina 2026 and the Value of the Event for Italy 🇮🇹
Milan Cortina 2026 began as a joint project between two cities. Milan represents the urban, organizational, and media center of the Games, while Cortina d'Ampezzo embodies the Alpine image and long tradition of winter sports1.
Around these two poles, a broader system is developing, involving various regions of northern Italy, particularly Lombardy, Veneto, and Trentino-Alto Adige.
For Italy, hosting the Winter Olympics means:
- Returning to the forefront of the international sporting scene
- Enhancing urban and mountain areas through sport
- Attracting investment, tourism, and global media attention
This is not just a sporting event: the Games bring together different urban contexts and Alpine territories, showing how tradition and innovation can coexist within a single organizational project.
Why Spread the Olympics Across Italy? 🗺️
As already seen, Milano Cortina 2026 adopts the model of the widespread Olympics, a choice that responds above all to the organizational and logistical needs typical of the Winter Games.
Snow and ice disciplines require very different facilities, often located far apart: alpine slopes, ice stadiums, and Nordic ski trails can hardly coexist in a single area without heavy infrastructure work.
Spreading the competitions across multiple locations therefore allows for:
- Exploiting existing, tried-and-tested facilities
- Avoiding large concentrations of structures in environmentally sensitive areas
- Managing distances, flows, and event times more realistically
More than a symbolic choice, the widespread Olympics is a practical solution to a real complexity: adapting the Games to the places that host them, instead of forcing territories to undergo transformations that are difficult to sustain in the long term.
Competition Venues
The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics do not have a single central venue. The competitions will take place across a network of cities and Alpine resorts, linked by a coordinated transport and infrastructure system.
Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo
Milan will mainly host ice competitions, official ceremonies, and major media events. Thanks to its rail and airport connections, it is the main gateway to the Games.
The main Olympic Village will be located in Milan and will host athletes and delegations during the Games. At the end of the event, the area will be converted into residential and university spaces.
Legacy is one of the pillars of Milano Cortina 2026: redeveloped infrastructure, new urban spaces, and services designed to last over time and continue to be used even after the Games have ended.
Cortina d'Ampezzo will be the symbolic heart of the alpine disciplines, immersed in the landscape of the Dolomites.
Other Alpine Locations Involved 🏔️
The complete list of Olympic venues also includes locations such as Livigno, Bormio, Anterselva, and Predazzo, which are already accustomed to hosting international sporting events and were chosen precisely to limit new construction and make the most of existing facilities.
Key Dates for the 2026 Winter Olympics
Among the most frequent searches related to the Games, one that stands out is the calendar for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The official calendar was defined well in advance, allowing spectators, fans, and tour operators to plan their participation.
Games Schedule ⏰
The 2026 Winter Olympics will take place from February 6 to 22, 2026, for a total duration of 17 days.
During this period, there will be a series of ceremonies, qualifying competitions, finals, and symbolic moments that mark the traditional rhythm of the Olympic Games. The competitions will mainly take place in the afternoon and early evening to facilitate international television coverage.
The Official Mascot of Milan-Cortina 2026
Every self-respecting Olympics has its mascots, but those of Milan Cortina 2026 are not just decorative characters. Tina, Milo, and the Flo family embody the spirit of the Games, their connection to the local area, and—above all—the values of inclusion, energy, and participation that will accompany the event.
It is no coincidence that they were created through a competition involving thousands of Italian students: a concrete way to make the Games participatory from the very beginning.
But let's get to know them a bit better
- Tina 🤍: it is a stoat with a light-colored coat and a curious nature. Its name refers to Cortina d'Ampezzo, one of the main venues for the Games. It represents the energy of the Winter Olympics: it loves the mountains, snow, and sports. It is always on the move and symbolizes the desire to test oneself, just like the athletes who will compete in 2026.
- Milo 🤎: is the official mascot of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics. He is a dark-coated stoat, and his name refers to Milan, one of the two central hubs of the 2026 edition. His story is simple but meaningful: Milo was born without a paw and learned to move using his tail, adapting to his body in a natural way.
- The Flo 💚: Alongside Tina and Milo are the Flo, cute anthropomorphic snowdrops. The snowdrop is one of the first flowers to bloom after winter and therefore symbolizes rebirth and hope. The Flo accompany the mascots on their journey to the Games, bringing a touch of lightness and color.
Do you like these mascots? Which one is your favorite?
Sports and Olympic Disciplines
The Milano Cortina 2026 sports program combines snow sports and ice sports, maintaining a balance between historic disciplines and recent innovations. A total of 232 American athletes will compete in 16 disciplines!
Snow Sports❄️
Snow sports represent the symbolic heart of the Winter Olympics. Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, Nordic combined, snowboarding, and freestyle are among the most eagerly awaited sports, linked to the imagery of the mountains and the great Alpine resorts.
These competitions are mainly held outdoors and require specific infrastructure, which is often already in place in the areas involved.
Ice Sports 🧊
Alongside snow, ice plays a central role, especially in urban areas.
Figure skating, speed skating, short track, ice hockey, and curling are disciplines that are also very popular with television audiences, thanks to their spectacular nature.
Which of these disciples do you prefer watching?
The Novelty of Ski Mountaineering 🆕
Milan Cortina 2026 marks the Olympic debut of ski mountaineering, a discipline deeply linked to Alpine culture and Italian mountain tradition. This new addition expands the Olympic program and brings to the Olympics a sport that has been practiced for decades away from the spotlight.
2026 Winter Paralympics ♿
Alongside the Olympic Games, Milano Cortina 2026 will also host the Winter Paralympics, one of the world's most important sporting events dedicated to athletes with disabilities.
The 2026 Winter Paralympics will take place from March 6 to 15, 2026, largely using the same venues and infrastructure as the Olympics, suitably adapted to ensure accessibility, safety, and inclusion.
Paralympic disciplines include snow and ice sports, including:
- Paralympic alpine skiing,
- cross-country skiing,
- biathlon,
- snowboarding,
- Paralympic ice hockey
The Paralympics are an essential component of the Milano Cortina project, not only from a sporting point of view, but also from a social and cultural perspective. Attention to the accessibility of facilities, transport, and urban spaces is one of the central elements of the legacy.
How to Follow the 2026 Winter Olympics
Are you wondering how you can follow the various events of these Winter Olympics? Whether you want to attend in person or watch the opening ceremonies and sporting events from the comfort of your own home, you will find all the information you need below.
Live 🎟️
Attending the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics live is definitely more accessible than many people think, but it is important to understand how the ticket sales system works, what price ranges to expect, and what discounts are available.
How to Purchase Tickets 🛒
Tickets for all Olympic events are available exclusively through the Organizing Committee's official platform, where you can:
- Register your account
- Purchase tickets through staggered purchase options, also decided by lottery in the initial stages
- Obtain digital tickets in your name, with the possibility of changing the name on the official app from December 2025
Hospitality packages, which include tickets and extra services (e.g., VIP access, lounges, catering), are sold separately and are the only official way to obtain premium access.
Official Price Ranges for Olympic Competitions 💶
According to the price list published by the official ticket office, prices for Olympic competitions vary according to the discipline, session, and seat category.
Indicative standard prices:
- 🎿 Cheapest tickets: from $35 for less popular sessions or qualifiers
- 💺 Over 20% of tickets are priced below $45
- 📊 The majority (around 57%) cost less than $120
Actual prices for individual competitions vary depending on the discipline and stage of the competition, but some examples based on recent sales and forecasts are:
- 🏂 Curling and cross-country skiing: sometimes around €50
- 🥌 Biathlon and luge: tickets around $60–$140
- ⛸️ Figure skating and speed skating: often between $215 and $900+
- 🏒 Ice hockey: wide range, with tickets costing up to around $1,600 for high-profile games (e.g., finals)
🎆 Special Ceremonies: Opening and Closing
Official ceremonies, such as the opening ceremony on February 6 at the San Siro Stadium, are particularly expensive events:
- Tickets for the opening ceremony can range from ~$310 to over $2,300 for the best categories.
Higher prices reflect the unique nature of the show and the location in the best sections of the stadium.
Prices also vary for the closing ceremony, which, due to its more limited capacity, can be just as expensive, especially for “Hospitality” packages.
If you are under 26, you can take advantage of Promo26, which allows you to purchase two tickets for the price of one. Don't miss out!
🎟️ Tickets for the Paralympics
For the Winter Paralympics (March 6–15, 2026), even more affordable prices and discounts are planned:
- Tickets starting at around $10 for children under 14
- Over 200,000 tickets (around 89% of those available) will cost less than $40
How to Follow the 2026 Winter Olympics on TV and Streaming 👀
Those who are unable to attend the competitions live will still be able to follow the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics without difficulty. Media coverage in the US will be extensive and varied, with different options designed for different audiences and viewing modes.
📺 Where to Watch the Olympic Games on TV
In the US, free-to-air broadcasting rights for the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics are held by NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, or the NBC Sport or NBC app. The public service broadcaster will ensure coverage of the main competitions, official ceremonies, and the most important moments of the Games.
The coverage will be accompanied by pre- and post-competition analysis, live commentary, and in-depth coverage.
As we have seen, the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Milan Cortina promise to be an exciting and complex event, involving different locations, thousands of athletes, and millions of spectators. It is not just about competitions and results, but a set of organizational, infrastructural, and media choices that will have a concrete impact on the territories involved and the people who live there.
The most interesting question remains: if this edition goes down in history, will it really translate the principles of accessibility, sustainability, and inclusion into lasting practices, or will these values remain confined to the time of the Games? Much of the significance of Milano Cortina hinges on this fragile balance between ambition and reality.
Fonti
- Aricò, Giacomo. “Olimpiadi invernali 2026 di Milano Cortina in arrivo: tutto quello che c’è da sapere.” Vogue Italia, https://www.vogue.it/article/olimpiadi-invernali-2026-milano-cortina.
- Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano (CONI).Ufficiale l’Italia Team per Milano Cortina 2026: record assoluto con 196 atleti. CONI.it, https://www.coni.it/it/news/ufficiale-l-italia-team-per-milano-cortina-2026-record-assoluto-con-196-atleti.html.
- Two Tickets for the Price of One For ..., www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/two-tickets-for-the-price-of-one-for-the-milano-cortina-2026-olympic-opening-ceremony-with-promo26/. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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