Milano Cortina 2026: Everything You Need to Know Before the Winter Olympics Begin

In less than a week, the 2026 Winter Olympic Games will open in Northern Italy with a ceremony at Milan's San Siro stadium — the first time a Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony will be held in a football stadium rather than a purpose-built venue. From February 6 to 22, athletes from around the world will compete across a record 116 events in what organizers are calling the most geographically ambitious Winter Games in Olympic history.

Four Clusters, One Games

Unlike recent Winter Olympics that concentrated events in a single region, Milano Cortina 2026 spreads competition across four distinct zones spanning hundreds of kilometers of Northern Italy [1]:

• Milano: The Opening Ceremony at San Siro, plus ice hockey, speed skating, figure skating, and short track at venues across the city. The Closing Ceremony will take place in Verona's ancient Roman Arena
• Cortina d'Ampezzo: Women's Alpine skiing on the legendary Tofane course, curling, sliding sports (bobsled, luge, skeleton), and biathlon in nearby Anterselva
• Valtellina: Freestyle skiing and snowboard events in Livigno, ski mountaineering (making its Olympic debut), and men's Alpine skiing on the Stelvio in Bormio
• Val di Fiemme: Ski jumping in Predazzo and cross-country skiing in Tesero

The geographic spread has raised logistical questions — Milan and Cortina are roughly 410 km apart — but organizers have assembled a network of dedicated shuttles, park-and-ride systems, and extended rail services to move spectators between clusters [2].

NHL Players Return to the Ice

One of the most anticipated storylines is the return of NHL players to Olympic ice hockey after missing the 2018 and 2022 Games. The NHL and International Ice Hockey Federation reached a participation agreement in 2024, and the league will pause its regular season from February 7–26 to allow players to compete.

The men's tournament features stacked rosters from traditional powers like Canada, the United States, Sweden, Finland, and Russia (competing as Individual Neutral Athletes). With stars like Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, and Kirill Kaprizov in the field, the hockey tournament is expected to draw some of the Games' largest audiences.

The Debut of Ski Mountaineering

Milano Cortina 2026 introduces ski mountaineering (or "skimo") as an Olympic discipline for the first time. The sport — which involves racing uphill on skis with climbing skins, transitioning at the summit, and skiing back down — has long been popular in European mountain communities and was a demonstration sport at the 2024 Youth Winter Olympics.

Five medal events will be contested: men's and women's individual races, men's and women's sprint, and a mixed relay. Athletes must carry all their own equipment and navigate courses with significant elevation gain, making it one of the most physically demanding events on the program.

Key Athletes to Watch

The Games will showcase both established champions and emerging talent:

• Mikaela Shiffrin (USA, Alpine skiing): The most decorated World Cup skier in history aims for additional Olympic gold on the Tofane course in Cortina
• Sofia Goggia (Italy, Alpine skiing): The Italian downhill star will compete in front of a home crowd, a career-defining opportunity
• Yuzuru Hanyu (Japan, Figure skating): Though retired from competitive skating, speculation persists about a potential return at age 31
• Johannes Thingnes Bø (Norway, Biathlon): The dominant force in biathlon seeks to add to his Olympic medal collection in Anterselva
• Chloe Kim (USA, Snowboard): The two-time Olympic halfpipe champion aims for a third consecutive gold

Gender Equality Milestones

Milano Cortina 2026 achieves the closest-ever gender balance at a Winter Olympics, with women competing in 58 events compared to 58 for men (with 10 mixed events bringing the total to 116). The International Olympic Committee has made athlete gender parity a central goal, and these Games represent a significant step forward from even recent editions.

Mariah Carey at the Opening

Organizers confirmed that Mariah Carey will perform at the Opening Ceremony on February 6, joining a tradition of high-profile musical acts that have included the likes of Björk, Paul McCartney, and John Legend at previous Olympic ceremonies. The ceremony at San Siro will have a capacity of approximately 80,000 spectators.

How to Watch

Broadcast rights vary by territory. In the United States, NBC and Peacock will carry comprehensive coverage. In the UK, BBC Sport and Discovery+ share rights. Across much of Europe, Warner Bros Discovery (Eurosport) will provide coverage alongside national public broadcasters [2].

Competitions begin on February 4 with Alpine skiing training runs and the opening sessions of mixed doubles curling, building to the full program launch after the Opening Ceremony on February 6.