The 2026 Winter Olympics are set to begin in Italy, with the Milan Cortina Games promising a historic and wide-ranging celebration of winter sport. From new Olympic disciplines to superstar athletes and iconic Italian backdrops, here’s everything you need to know as the Games get underway.
When and where are the 2026 Winter Olympics?
Competition at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics runs from February 4 to February 22, 2026, making it one of the longest Winter Games in recent history.
Italy is hosting the most geographically spread-out Winter Olympics ever. While Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo serve as the main hubs, events are also staged across multiple alpine clusters, including Bormio and Livigno. The opening ceremony takes place at Milan’s iconic San Siro Stadium, while the closing ceremony will be held in Verona, roughly 160 kilometers east of Milan.
Opening ceremony highlights
The opening ceremony is scheduled for February 6 at 8 p.m. local time (2 p.m. Eastern) and is expected to draw a global audience. Performers include international pop star Mariah Carey and renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, blending modern pop culture with Italy’s classical musical heritage.
Sports and medals at stake
The Milan Cortina Games feature 16 sports and a total of 116 gold medals. Several events are making their Olympic debut or receiving significant updates:
- Ski mountaineering (skimo) debuts as a new Olympic sport
- Women’s doubles luge added
- Mixed team skeleton introduced
- Super team events added in large hill ski jumping
- NHL players return to Olympic ice hockey for the first time since 2014
Key dates to mark on your calendar
- Feb. 4: Competition begins (curling)
- Feb. 6: Opening ceremony
- Feb. 7: First gold medals awarded
- Feb. 8: Women’s Alpine skiing downhill
- Feb. 13: Men’s figure skating gold
- Feb. 18: Women’s Alpine skiing slalom
- Feb. 19: Women’s figure skating gold; women’s ice hockey gold; first skimo medals
- Feb. 22: Men’s ice hockey gold; closing ceremony
How to watch the Milan Cortina Olympics
Global broadcasters will carry live and delayed coverage depending on time zones. In the United States, NBC will air major events during prime time, while Peacock will stream live competition throughout the Games. Milan and Cortina are six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time.
Athletes and storylines to watch
Several of the world’s biggest winter sports stars headline the Games:
- Lindsey Vonn, 41, returns to Olympic competition after opening the World Cup season strongly despite battling a recent ACL injury
- Mikaela Shiffrin enters as one of the most decorated skiers in history
- Eileen Gu and Chloe Kim are back in freestyle skiing and snowboarding
- Hockey fans welcome the return of NHL stars, including Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid
A limited number of Russian athletes are competing as neutral participants after passing independent eligibility reviews related to the war in Ukraine.
Venues under the spotlight
Several venues are drawing particular attention, including Milan’s new hockey arenas, which feature slightly smaller ice surfaces than NHL standards. Meanwhile, the athletes’ village in Cortina consists of more than 350 mobile homes, reflecting the logistical challenges of hosting events across mountainous terrain.
With world-class athletes, debut sports, and dramatic Italian landscapes, the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are shaping up to be one of the most distinctive Games in Olympic history.
