Where is the Winter Olympics 2026? Milan and Cortina to host
Introduction: Why the location matters
The question “where is the Winter Olympics 2026” matters to athletes, organisers and viewers because the host region shapes venues, travel, legacy and local economies. The 2026 Games will be staged across Lombardy and Northeast Italy from 6 to 22 February 2026, bringing winter sport to a mix of urban and mountain settings and marking a notable model of co-hosting.
Main details: Hosts, dates and venues
Host cities and award
A joint bid by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo was awarded the 2026 Winter Olympics at the 134th IOC Session on 24 June 2019. The bid beat a proposal from Stockholm and Åre, Sweden. Officially designated as the Winter Olympic Games and commonly referred to as Cortina 2026, these will be the first Olympic Games officially co-hosted by two cities. Milan will primarily host the ice events, while remaining events are arranged in clusters around Cortina and the Valtellina and Fiemme valleys.
Notable venues and facts
Milano-Cortina venues will take centre stage across the Games cycle. One arena in the plan can hold 19,000 spectators, the highest capacity among 2026 venues. A venue is built on the grounds of a former track named after two-time Olympic gold medallist Eugenio Monti. The stadium known as the “Temple of Football” is designated to host the opening ceremony. For speed skating, organisers will employ an indoor temporary rink — the first time such a solution has been used at the Winter Olympics. In the mountains, Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium, which hosted its first World Cup event in 1990, is on the programme. The Stelvio Ski Centre will host the Olympic debut of ski mountaineering. Unusually for a winter Games, Italy’s third-largest Roman amphitheatre, built in 30 A.D., is planned as the closing ceremony venue.
Conclusion: Significance and outlook
Where the Winter Olympics 2026 are held reflects a blend of urban infrastructure and alpine tradition. Milan’s role as a first-time Olympic city and the spread of events across Cortina and nearby valleys underline a dispersed hosting model intended to balance capacity, heritage and mountain terrain. For athletes and spectators, the arrangement promises diverse venues and firsts — from temporary indoor speed skating to the Olympic debut of ski mountaineering — while offering Italy a high-profile opportunity to showcase Lombardy and the Northeast region on a global stage.
