2026 Winter Olympics Open in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy

On February 6, 2026, the Winter Olympics officially began in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, marking the opening of the Milan–Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. The event brought together athletes from dozens of countries to compete in winter sports across multiple venues in northern Italy. The Games were organized under a dual-host city model, with Milan serving as a major hub for indoor sports and ceremonies, while Cortina d'Ampezzo and other Alpine locations hosted snow and mountain events. This structure reflected Italy’s approach to using existing infrastructure and geographically distributed venues. The opening marked the return of the Winter Olympics to Italy for the first time since the 2006 Games in Turin. The 2026 Winter Olympics featured competitions across a wide range of disciplines, including alpine skiing, ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating, and Nordic events. Italian authorities implemented extensive transportation, security, and logistical measures to support athletes, officials, and spectators across the host regions. The Games were scheduled to run through February 22, 2026, with events taking place in Lombardy, Veneto, and the Dolomite mountain areas. The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics officially concluded on Sunday, 22/02/2026, with a Closing Ceremony titled “Beauty in Action” staged at the historic Arena di Verona. The 1st century Roman amphitheatre provided the backdrop for the final celebration of the XXV Olympic Winter Games, marking the end of more than two weeks of competition across northern Italy. The ceremony brought together athletes, officials, and spectators in Verona to formally close the Games. In a historic first for the Winter Olympics, the Olympic cauldrons were extinguished simultaneously in two host cities, Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, symbolizing the shared hosting model of Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The Olympic flag was then officially handed over to representatives of the French Alps, host region for the 2030 Winter Olympics, as part of the traditional transfer of responsibility to the next organizers. On the field of play, Norway topped the final medal table for the fourth consecutive Winter Olympics, securing 18 gold medals and a total of 41 medals. The performance extended the country’s dominance in Winter Games competition. The United States achieved a notable milestone in men’s ice hockey, defeating Canada in an overtime final to claim its first Olympic gold medal in the event since the 1980 Lake Placid Games. The Games also produced first-time medal achievements for countries not traditionally associated with winter sports success. Brazil and Georgia each earned their first-ever Winter Olympic medals during Milano Cortina 2026, adding new chapters to their national sporting histories. The conclusion at the Arena di Verona closed an edition of the Winter Olympics that combined historic venues with a multi-city hosting format. With the extinguishing of the flame on 22/02/2026, preparations now formally shift toward the 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps.