The 25th edition of the Winter Olympic Games is officially underway in Italy, marking the country’s third time hosting the Winter Games after Cortina 1956 and Turin 2006 . With over 2,900 athletes from 92 nations competing in 16 sports, the Milan-Cortina Games are setting records for participation, gender balance, and geographic spread .
This guide covers everything you need to know—from key dates and venues to new sports, medal events, and how to follow the action.
When and Where Are the 2026 Winter Olympics?
Key Dates
EventDateCompetition beginsFebruary 4, 2026 (curling, luge, alpine skiing) Opening CeremonyFebruary 6, 2026 First gold medalsFebruary 7, 2026 Closing CeremonyFebruary 22, 2026
Host Cities and Venue Clusters
For the first time in Olympic history, two cities officially share hosting duties . The Games are divided into four main clusters :
ClusterKey VenuesSports HostedMilanSan Siro Stadium (Opening Ceremony), Assago, RhoFigure skating, speed skating, short track, ice hockeyValtellinaBormio, LivignoAlpine skiing (Bormio), freestyle skiing and snowboard (Livigno)CortinaCortina d’Ampezzo, Anterselva/AntholzSliding events (bobsled, luge, skeleton), curling, biathlonVal di FiemmePredazzo, TeseroSki jumping, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined
The opening ceremony was held at Milan’s iconic San Siro Stadium, with the athletes’ parade taking place in four locations simultaneously—a historic first . The closing ceremony will take place at the iconic Verona Arena .
A Historic First: Two Olympic Cauldrons
For the first time in Games history, two identical Olympic cauldrons were lit simultaneously—one at the Arco della Pace in Milan and another at Piazza Angelo Dibona in Cortina, approximately 250 kilometers apart . Italian skiing legends Deborah Compagnoni and Alberto Tomba lit the Milan cauldron, while Sofia Goggia handled the honors in Cortina .
New Sports and Events at the 2026 Winter Olympics
Ski Mountaineering (Skimo) Makes Its Olympic Debut
The last time the Winter Olympics introduced a new sport was skeleton in 2002. That 24-year streak ends with the debut of ski mountaineering (often called “skimo”) at Milan-Cortina .
This demanding sport combines cross-country skiing, climbing, and downhill racing:
- Athletes attach “skins” to their skis to grip the snow while racing uphill
- At steeper sections, they remove skis and hike in their boots (“boot packing”)
- Once at the summit, they remove the skins, lock in, and descend through gates like giant slalom
Skimo medal events :
- Women’s sprint
- Men’s sprint
- Mixed relay
8 New Medal Events Introduced
In addition to skimo, the 2026 Games feature five other new events across various sports :
EventSportFormatWomen’s doubles lugeLugeFirst time women have doubles event (debuted in 1964 for men)Women’s individual large hillSki jumpingFirst time women jump from the large hillMixed team skeletonSkeletonOne woman + one man, back-to-back runsDual mogulsFreestyle skiingHead-to-head bracket eliminationTeam combinedAlpine skiingOne skier downhill + one skier slalomMen’s super teamSki jumpingTwo jumpers, three scored rounds
Gender Balance Milestone
Milan-Cortina is the most gender-balanced Winter Games in history :
- 50 women’s events (a Winter Games record)
- Women make up 47% of athletes (up from 45% in Beijing 2022)
- 12 mixed-gender events on the program
- For the first time, men and women race equal distances in cross-country skiing
Record Number of Medal Events
With all additions combined, the 2026 Winter Olympics feature 116 medal events across 16 sports—a Winter Games record .
Sports and Competition Schedule
Full Sports List (16 Sports)
SportDatesKey VenueAlpine SkiingFebruary 4–18 BormioBiathlonFebruary 9–12 AntholzBobsledFebruary 12–22 CortinaCross-Country SkiingFebruary 7–22 Val di FiemmeCurlingFebruary 5–16 CortinaFigure SkatingFebruary 6–21 MilanFreestyle SkiingFebruary 6–12 LivignoIce HockeyFebruary 5–22 MilanLugeFebruary 4–12 CortinaNordic CombinedFebruary 9–19 Val di FiemmeShort Track Speed SkatingFebruary 10–20 MilanSkeletonFebruary 9–15 CortinaSki Mountaineering (NEW)February 19–21 Livigno?Ski JumpingFebruary 5–16 Val di FiemmeSnowboardingFebruary 5–18 LivignoSpeed SkatingFebruary 7–21 Milan
Key Gold Medal Dates
- February 7: First gold medals awarded
- February 8: Women’s alpine skiing downhill
- February 13: Men’s figure skating
- February 18: Women’s alpine skiing slalom
- February 19: Women’s figure skating, women’s ice hockey gold medal game, first skimo golds
- February 22: Men’s ice hockey gold medal game, Closing Ceremony
Athletes and Participation
Record-Breaking Teams
- USA: 232 athletes—the largest U.S. Winter Olympic team ever, surpassing the 228 athletes in PyeongChang 2018
- Japan: 121 athletes, close to its largest delegation
- Great Britain: Competing across multiple sports with strong hopes in curling and skeleton
- Russia/Belarus: Athletes are competing under a neutral designation (AIN), without national flags or anthems
International Olympic Committee Leadership
Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe is overseeing her first Games as IOC President—the first woman and first African to hold the role, having taken over from Thomas Bach in June 2025 .
Opening Ceremony Highlights
The February 6 Opening Ceremony broke new ground:
- First-ever four-location ceremony: The athletes’ parade and celebrations took place simultaneously in Milan, Livigno, Predazzo, and Cortina
- San Siro Stadium hosted the main ceremony, home of AC Milan and Inter Milan
- Mariah Carey performed as one of the headline acts
- IOC President Kirsty Coventry delivered her first Games speech: “The spirit of the Olympic Games is about so much more than sport. It is about us—and what makes us human”
- Tadatoshi Akiba, former Hiroshima mayor and nuclear disarmament advocate, was honored as an Olympic flag bearer
Why the 2026 Games Matter
Beyond the medal counts and athletic achievements, Milan-Cortina represents several “firsts” that will shape the future of the Winter Olympics:
- Geographic reach: The most spread-out Winter Games in history, covering 8,500 square miles
- Dual-host model: First time two cities share official hosting status
- Gender progress: Most women’s events and most balanced athlete representation ever
- New sport: Ski mountaineering brings a fresh discipline after 24 years
- Record medals: 116 events—most in Winter Games history
- Welcoming crowds back: Full spectator attendance after COVID-limited Beijing 2022
FAQs About the 2026 Winter Olympics
When do the 2026 Winter Olympics start?
Competition began on February 4, 2026 with early rounds of curling, luge, and alpine skiing. The official Opening Ceremony was held on February 6 .
Where are the 2026 Winter Olympics?
The Games are co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in northern Italy, with events spread across four clusters: Milan, Valtellina (Bormio/Livigno), Cortina, and Val di Fiemme .
What new sports are at the 2026 Winter Olympics?
Ski mountaineering makes its Olympic debut, featuring sprint and mixed relay events. Other new events include women’s doubles luge, mixed team skeleton, dual moguls, women’s large hill ski jumping, and team combined alpine skiing .
Who is competing under neutral status?
Athletes from Russia and Belarus are competing under a neutral designation (AIN), without national flags or anthems .
Where is the Closing Ceremony?
The Closing Ceremony is being held on February 22 at the Verona Arena, an iconic Roman amphitheater .
Conclusion: Milan-Cortina 2026 in Perspective
The 2026 Winter Olympics represent a pivotal moment for the Olympic movement. With record participation, unprecedented gender balance, and a new sport making its debut, the Milan-Cortina Games are both a celebration of winter sport’s present and a glimpse of its future.
From the dual cauldrons burning in Milan and Cortina to the historic four-location opening ceremony, these Games have already written themselves into Olympic history—before the first gold medal was even awarded.
Muhammad Arslan is the founder of Namesvora, sharing creative and trending game, team, and username ideas.
