The Winter Olympics 2026 are set to return to Italy with unprecedented scale, ambition and global attention. Scheduled from February 6 to February 22, 2026, the Games will unfold across northern Italy, from Milan’s iconic San Siro Stadium to the Alpine venues of Cortina d’Ampezzo, Livigno, Bormio and Val di Fiemme.
Featuring 116 medal events, nearly 3,000 athletes, a record level of gender balance and the most geographically dispersed format in Winter Olympic history, Winter Olympics 2026 will blend elite sport, culture, sustainability and innovation while offering fans a packed day-by-day competition schedule across multiple platforms worldwide.
Winter Olympics 2026: Key Facts at a Glance
| Category | Details |
| Official Name | Winter Olympics 2026 |
| Host Country | Italy |
| Dates | February 6 – February 22, 2026 |
| Athletes | Approx. 2,900–3,500 |
| Sports | 16 |
| Medal Events | 116 |
| Host Cities & Regions | Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Valtellina, Val di Fiemme |
| Italy’s Previous Winter Games | Cortina 1956, Turin 2006 |
Opening Ceremony: Date, Time, Venue and Performers
The Winter Olympics 2026 will officially begin on February 6, 2026, with the Opening Ceremony at San Siro Stadium in Milan. For the first time in Winter Olympic history, the ceremony will take place across multiple locations, with Milan serving as the central hub.
- Time: 2:30 p.m. ET (prime-time encore at 8 p.m. ET)
- Theme: Armonia (Harmony)
- Cast: Over 1,300 performers from 27 countries
- Production Scale:
- 500+ musicians
- 700+ rehearsal hours
- 182 costume designs, 1,400 costumes
- 1,500 pairs of shoes
- 110 make-up artists, 70 hair stylists
- 500+ musicians
Opening Ceremony Performers
Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini, Lang Lang, Cecilia Bartoli, Pierfrancesco Favino, Sabrina Impacciatore and Matilda De Angelis.
Closing Ceremony Venue and Date
The Games will conclude on February 22, 2026, at the historic Verona Arena, a nearly 2,000-year-old amphitheater symbolizing Italy’s cultural legacy.
Multi-Hub Hosting Model: Venues and Regions
Winter Olympics 2026 will be the most geographically spread-out Winter Games ever, spanning Lombardy, Veneto, and the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano.
| Cluster | Sports Hosted |
| Milan | Ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating, short track |
| Cortina d’Ampezzo | Curling, women’s Alpine skiing, bobsled, luge, skeleton |
| Valtellina (Livigno, Bormio) | Alpine skiing, snowboarding, freestyle skiing |
| Val di Fiemme | Cross-country skiing, Nordic combined |
New Sports and Gender Equality Milestones
Winter Olympics 2026 will be the most gender-balanced Winter Games ever.
| Indicator | Figure |
| Female Athletes | 47% |
| Events with Women’s Participation | 53.4% |
| Women’s Events | 50 |
| Mixed Events | 12 |
New Events and Sports
- Olympic debut: Ski mountaineering
- New women’s events:
- Dual moguls
- Doubles luge
- Large hill ski jumping
- Sprint ski mountaineering
- Dual moguls
- Identical race distances for men and women in cross-country skiing
Curling, Speed Skating and Early Competition
Curling competition begins February 4, ahead of the Opening Ceremony, with Mixed Doubles preliminary rounds in Cortina. Curling, often described as “chess on ice,” originated in 16th-century Scotland and has been a permanent Olympic sport since 1998.
Speed skating and short track remain among the most anticipated sports, with the Netherlands historically dominating long track and South Korea leading short track, while the USA and Canada aim to challenge for medals.
Where to Watch Winter Olympics 2026 Live
- TV: NBC, USA Network, CNBC
- Streaming: Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC app, NBC Sports app
- Other platforms: FuboTV (select events)
Winter Olympics 2026: Full Day-Wise Competition Schedule (Highlights)
Day -2 & Day -1 (Feb 4–5)
- Curling mixed doubles round-robin
- Women’s ice hockey pool play
- Snowboarding big air qualifying
Day 0 (Feb 6)
- Curling mixed doubles
- Figure skating team events
- Women’s ice hockey
- Opening Ceremony (San Siro Stadium)
Day 1–3 (Feb 7–9)
- Alpine skiing downhill (men & women)
- Cross-country skiathlon
- Speed skating medal events
- Figure skating team medals
- Luge men’s singles
Day 4–7 (Feb 10–13)
- Curling medal matches
- Biathlon individual events
- Freestyle skiing slopestyle & moguls
- Snowboarding big air and snowboard cross
- Speed skating 1,000m and 10,000m
Day 8–11 (Feb 14–17)
- Giant slalom and slalom
- Biathlon sprint and relay
- Bobsled monobob and two-man
- Ski jumping large hill
- Ice hockey knockout stages
Day 12–15 (Feb 18–21)
- Team sprint cross-country
- Ski mountaineering sprint and relay
- Freestyle aerials and ski cross
- Figure skating gala
- Curling medal games
Day 16 (Feb 22)
- Men’s ice hockey gold medal match
- Curling women’s gold medal match
- Cross-country 50km events
- Closing Ceremony (Verona Arena)
Athletes, Stars and Global Storylines
Winter Olympics 2026 will feature major global narratives. NHL players return to Olympic ice for the first time since 2014. Alpine skiing icon Mikaela Shiffrin seeks redemption after Beijing 2022, while snowboarder Chloe Kim aims for a third straight Olympic halfpipe gold. Speed skating star Jordan Stolz enters as a multi-event favorite.
Olympic Villages and Athlete Experience
Cortina’s Olympic and Paralympic Village will house around 1,400 athletes and staff in 377 trailers, half of them wheelchair-accessible. Facilities include fitness centers, dining halls, lounges, massage rooms and prayer spaces.
A second Olympic Village in Milan at Porta Romana will later be converted into student housing.
Legacy, Sustainability and Long-Term Impact
According to the International Olympic Committee, over 70 legacy projects linked to Winter Olympics 2026 aim to promote physical activity and social inclusion. Programs such as GEN26 and Go for 30 extend Olympic values into classrooms and workplaces. In Livigno, existing Alpine chalets were refurbished instead of constructing new housing, ensuring post-Games sustainability.
Winter Olympics 2026: Italy’s Vision Beyond Sport
Winter Olympics 2026 represents a defining moment for Italy and the Olympic Movement. By combining elite sport with cultural heritage, record gender equality, sustainability-driven planning and a pioneering multi-hub model, the Games extend far beyond competition.
From the Opening Ceremony at San Siro to the Closing Ceremony in Verona, Italy is preparing an Olympic experience rooted in tradition yet shaped for the future—one that aims to unite athletes, fans and nations through sport, culture and shared global celebration.
FAQs on Winter Olympics 2026
1. When will the Winter Olympics 2026 be held?
The Winter Olympics 2026 will take place in Italy from February 6 to February 22, with competitions starting earlier from February 4.
2. Which cities are hosting the Winter Olympics 2026?
Winter Olympics 2026 will be hosted across northern Italy, including Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Valtellina, Val di Fiemme, Livigno and Bormio.
3. Where will the Opening and Closing Ceremonies be held?
The Opening Ceremony will be held at San Siro Stadium in Milan, while the Closing Ceremony will take place at the historic Verona Arena.
4. How many sports and events are there in Winter Olympics 2026?
Winter Olympics 2026 will feature 16 sports and 116 medal events, including the Olympic debut of ski mountaineering.
5. Where can fans watch the Winter Olympics 2026 live?
Winter Olympics 2026 will be broadcast on NBC, USA Network and CNBC, with live streaming available on Peacock and NBC’s digital platforms.
