The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will mark the return of the Olympics to Italy for the first time in 20 years.
The event will be co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, celebrating Italian innovation, sustainability, and culture, extending across the Alps and Lombardy.
With 3,500 athletes from 90 countries competing for 195 Olympic medals, Milano Cortina 2026 promises to blend sporting excellence with regional identity.
For AISTS, these Games represent a living laboratory of sport management in action, where alumni contribute to the organisation, marketing, and long-term legacy of one of the world’s most complex sporting events.
Key questions about the Winter Games 2026
What is Milano Cortina?
Milano Cortina refers to the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
When are the Winter Olympic Games?
The winter olympics will take place from 6 to 22 February 2026. The paralympics will take place from 6 to 15 March.
Where are the Winter Olympic Games?
The winter games will take place in 25 venues across the Lombardy and Veneto regions, with the Opening Ceremony to be held at the San Siro Stadium in Milano.
Main venues include:
- Milan cluster: ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating, curling.
- Cortina cluster: alpine skiing, bobsleigh, skeleton, and luge.
- Val di Fiemme / Bormio / Livigno: cross-country, ski jumping, freestyle, and snowboard.
- Mediolanum Forum: figure skating,
- Fiera Milano Rho: ice hockey,
- PalaItalia Santa Giulia: new arena under construction,
- Olimpia delle Tofane: alpine skiing,
- Livigno Mottolino Park: freestyle and snowboard.
Which key sports will athletes play in Milano Cortina 2026?
16 Olympic disciplines will be featured during the winter olympics:
- Biathlon,
- Bobsleigh,
- Nordic combined,
- Curling,
- Ice hockey,
- Luge,
- Figure skating,
- Short track speed skating,
- Long track speed skating,
- Ski jumping,
- Skeleton,
- Freestyle skiing,
- Ski mountaineering,
- Alpine skiing,
- Cross-country skiing,
- Snowboard.
Ski mountaineering is making its Olympic debut in Milano Cortina 2026, with three events:
- Men’s sprint,
- Women’s sprint,
- Mixed relay.
Where to buy tickets for Milano Cortina 2026?
Tickets for Milano Cortina 2026 can be bought from the official ticketing website: https://tickets.milanocortina2026.org/en/ . Hospitality packages (VIP, premium experiences) are also available on the same official website.
Where to find the competition schedule for the Winter Olympics 2026?
The competition schedule is available on the official website of the Olympics.
The Olympic Flame’s Path to Milano Cortina
The olympic flame will begin its journey in Olympie, Greece on 26 November 2025 and will arrive at San Siro stadium the 6 February 2026 for the Opening Ceremony of Milano Cortina 2026.
The flame will move across Italy, covering 12,000 kilometres and passing through 110 provinces and 60 cities, while being carried by more than 10,000 torchbearers. The journey will visit many of Italy’s UNESCO World Heritage sites as part of the cultural narrative.
The Milan-Cortina 2026 Bid Story
The Italian joint bid was officially awarded the 2026 Winter Olympics at the 134th International Olympic Committee (IOC) session on 24 June 2019. They will be the first Olympic Games to officially be co-hosted by multiple cities.
The race to host the Winter Olympics 2026 was between Sweden (Stockholm-Åre) and Italy (Milan-Cortina).
While both bids had merits, their strategies, risks, and support diverged significantly:
- Italy emphasized strong government backing and use of domestic, existing venues,
- Sweden proposed a cost-saving, cross-border model relying on facilities in Latvia, which raised logistical and political complexities.
During the evaluation phase, the Italian candidature highlighted a strong public and political consensus, with support from both regional and national levels. The bid centred on sustainability, using existing infrastructure across Milan, Cortina, and surrounding Alpine regions.
According to SportsPro Media, Milan-Cortina’s proposal appealed to the IOC for its realistic financial plan and alignment with the Agenda 2020 reforms, which promote cost-efficient, multi-city hosting models
Behind the Scenes: How Milano Cortina 2026 Is Built and Funded
The Pillars of Governance Shaping the Winter Games
The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic games are organized by the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026. The foundation was established on 9 December 2019 to organise, promote, and publicise all related sporting and cultural events.
The foundation is supervised by the IOC and follows:
- The provisions of the Olympic Charter,
- The IOC’s Code of Ethics,
- The host city agreement, signed in Lausanne on 24 June 2019.
It also collaborates nationally with:
- The Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI),
- The Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP),
- The Lombardy and Veneto Regions,
- The Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano,
- The Municipalities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
A New Budget Model for the Games – Partnership, Sustainability, and Legacy
According to Sportsnet.ca, the organizers of the Winter Games 2026 project a budget of 1.7 billion euros, emphasizing public-private partnerships as a cornerstone of their financial strategy.
The budget will support, among other initiatives, the construction of the two only new competition venues:
- The sliding centre in Cortina d’Ampezzo valued at 118 million euros,
- Santa Giulia ice hockey arena in Milan, valued at 300 million euros.
Over 90% of competition sites are in fact existing or temporary, following IOC’s Agenda 2020 principles of sustainability and cost efficiency (as reported in the Sustainability and Legacy report). This contrasts sharply with past editions, such as Sochi 2014, where total expenditures reportedly reached 51 billion USD.
The IOC will contribute approximately 1 billion euros in additional funding, while the Italian government has pledged more than 1 billion euros toward infrastructure improvements to enhance access to venues.
In parallel, the Organizing Committee has set a sponsorship revenue target of 575 million euros, of which 400 million euros have already been secured (Inside the Game).
To date, the Winter Games 2026 have established 52 commercial partnerships:
- 40 national agreements,
- 11 global Olympic and Paralympic partners,
- The official hospitality provider.
These collaborations form both a financial framework and a symbolic alliance, ensuring the Games’ feasibility while celebrating the distinct cultural identities of the Lombardy and Veneto regions.
Building the Milano Cortina Brand
The Vision and Mission of the Winter Games 2026
The Milano Cortina Fondazione’s vision is to bind the Olympic and Paralympic values with “the contemporary Italian culture and its unique spirit” for a more active life, a brighter and more sustainable future.
Its mission is to develop an innovative approach to the Olympics, inspired by the vibrant and dynamic energy of the Italian spirit.
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games focus on building a lasting legacy through sustainable mobility, digital innovation, and youth engagement. A key initiative includes repurposing infrastructure — such as transforming Milan’s Porta Romana Olympic Village into student housing after the Games.
One Spirit, Two Cities – The Milano Cortina Model
The dual-city model aims to blend Italy’s cosmopolitan and alpine identities, offering diverse backdrops and experiences for athletes and spectators alike.
Milano Cortina’s brand, chosen by public vote, features two dynamic “26” figures representing the host regions and the mountains.
The slogan “Dual Soul” reflects unity in diversity.
Milano Cortina 2026 will be particular as it will be based on elements related to Italian culture, mixed with the Olympic spirits. This will be shown using concepts such as energy, passion, creativity and style. Colors and images will be highlighted in all olympic sites.
Faces of the Games – The Mascots of Milano Cortina
The Milano Cortina 2026 mascots will be:
- Tina, the Olympic mascot, and
- Milo, the Paralympic mascot.
They are a brother-and-sister duo of Italian stoats. The two mascots will be joined by their six little friends, small flowers called the “Flo.”
The Lasting Impact of the 2026 Winter Games
Sustainability and Legacy
The Milano Cortina Foundation has launched a sustainability and impact initiative called “Now26”. It integrates impact into the foundation’s strategic planning through various initiatives:
- Moving now: by promoting sport and active lifestyles, the initiative encourages young people to stay active, embrace health and inclusion, and improve accessibility in sport for everyone.
- Protecting now: by harnessing 100% renewable energy and committing to reduce and offset climate-altering emissions, the initiative aims to counter climate change and protect Italy’s natural ecosystems,
- Renewing now: by reducing the use of resources and prioritizing a circular economy and recycling, the initiative aims to enhance efficiency,
- Including now: by promoting inclusion, respect, and accessibility, the initiative supports human rights, gender equality, and opportunities for people with disabilities.
- Empowering now: by investing in infrastructure, jobs, and sustainable tourism, the initiative aims to ensure that the Games leave a lasting, positive legacy to drive local economic growth and long-term development.
Bringing the Winter Games 2026 to Global Audiences
Milano Cortina 2026 has also invested in its digital engagement strategy through the Fan26 digital community.
The platform offers real-time updates, exclusive content, and interactive benefits for registered users. It also aims to deepen fan connection and participation.
Through Fan26 and the official Milano Cortina app, supporters around the world will be able to:
- Follow the Winter Games globally,
- Access personalized experiences, and
- Engage with the event beyond traditional broadcasting channels.
The Role of AISTS Alumni in the Milano Cortina 2026 Games
Several AISTS alumni are contributing to Milano Cortina 2026 across different domains — from sustainability to operations and marketing.
Their involvement reflects AISTS’s mission to bring academic excellence into practical sports management.
Examples include alumni working within the Organising Committee and national federations preparing for the Games. Their roles range from project management and event delivery to sponsor relations.
Notable alumni in these positions include:
- Carolina Gilles – Planning and Coordination Manager,
- Miriam Cernigliaro – Stakeholder Services Coordinator,
- Paulina Camus – Venue Design Coordinator.
This network also offers a platform for future collaboration and research on legacy, governance, and sustainability — core pillars of the AISTS curriculum.
External links:
https://www.olympics.com/ioc/olympic-agenda-2020
https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/schedule/overview
https://tickets.milanocortina2026.org/en/
https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1154570/milano-cortina-2026-reaches-40-sponsorsh?
