The 2026 Winter Olympic Games are officially less than one year away. During the closing ceremony of the 2022 games, China passed the torch to Italy as the official host of the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic games. The majority of the games will be held in the northern Italian cities, Milano and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Italy will have the opportunity to display the country’s well-endowed winter sport traditions from home for a third Olympic run. The region’s natural wonders and affinity for winter sports will unite nations across the world for the first time since Torino 2006, and previously, Cortina d’Ampezzo 1956.
Milano and Cortina d’Ampezzo are not so close, but for tourists, this is all for good reason. The five hour drive between the two cities stretches the games for athletes and spectators across landscapes that feature the stunning mountainous geography of the southern alps. This sets the record for the most widespread Olympic games, spanning over 8,500 square miles.
Every two-year winter Olympic cycle, host nations bear the burden of preparing whole cities for the global stage. Italy is preparing multiple. In 2022, China hosted 91 countries. Next year, Italy is expected to host 93.
Italy’s plan to maximize convenience as the host nation is to repurpose many already standing buildings that have long showcased the country’s winter sports traditions. Around 90% of the venues are either being converted for the games or are provisional. This way, the games will promote a minimized carbon footprint while also exhibiting the nation’s deep rooted culture of winter sports.
Milano and Cortina d’Ampezzo are preparing 25 venues to hold 16 Olympic and six Paralympic sports. Some include a ski resort in a town known as Bormio. Having received the nickname “Magnificent Land” for its thermal springs and snowy peaks, the location is well adept to the world of alpine skiing after showcasing its features in multiple alpine ski world championships and world cups. Bormio will regain the honor of hosting the alpine skiing and ski mountaineering competitions again next year.
Freestyle skiing and snowboarding will be held in the high altitude slopes of Livigno. Just shy of the Swiss border, It is no secret that the Rhaetian Alps have a way with tourists and athletes. Livigno’s exhilarating ski parks and well-established hospitality will be full of Olympic vitality and Italian pride come next winter.
Perhaps the most iconic facets of the games will be the Olympic closing ceremony and the Paralympic opening ceremony. A sure spotlight, the two events will be held in a 2,000-year-old amphitheater in the heart of Verona, showcasing the rich culture of the 2026 Olympic host.
Probably one of the most inspiring aspects of the Olympic culture is its thousands of volunteers from around the world. Any English and/or Italian speaker over the age of eighteen by November 2025 has the option to become an official volunteer of the Milano Cortina games next winter. There is no greater experience than living the games in person and meeting people and athletes across the world by joining the Milano Cortina 2026 Volunteers Programme.
Every two years, the world erupts with Olympic spirit and national pride. With less than a year out, all eyes are on the Olympic rings.
