The 2026 Winter Olympics are already setting records before the opening ceremony even begins. The Games will be the most geographically widespread Olympics in history, spanning northern Italy and anchored by two host cities, Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, roughly 250 miles apart by road.
Over two and a half weeks, athletes will compete in 16 sports across 25 venues. Events are divided among four main clusters — Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Valtellina, and Val di Fiemme — with competitors living in six Olympic Villages: Milan, Cortina, Anterselva, Bormio, Livigno, and Predazzo.
“This approach allows the maximum use of existing venues, reducing the need for new construction and, as a consequence, minimising the carbon footprint,” the International Olympic Committee stated on Olympics.com.
The competition area spans about 8,495 square miles, meaning travel between towns can take several hours, especially on winter roads. Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, encouraged fans to plan carefully.
“I think this will be the classic ‘pack your patience,’ because there will be some travel time,” Hirshland said.
Milan Olympic Venues: Opening Ceremony, Skating, and Hockey
Milan will host the opening ceremony on Feb. 6 at San Siro Stadium, home to AC Milan and Inter Milan. The stadium marks its 100th anniversary in 2026.
Figure skating and short track speed skating will take place at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, also known as the Unipol Forum in Assago. Ice hockey will be split between the temporary Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena and the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, which is the only new permanent venue built for the Games. Speed skating will be held at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium.
Cortina d’Ampezzo 2026 Winter Olympic Venues: Alpine Skiing and Sliding Sports
Cortina d’Ampezzo, often called the Pearl of the Dolomites, previously hosted the Winter Games in 1956. Women’s Alpine skiing will be held at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre, including the Olympia delle Tofane run, a longtime stop on the World Cup circuit.
Curling will take place at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, which also hosted events during the 1956 Games and will serve as the Paralympics closing ceremony site. Bobsled, luge, and skeleton will be contested at the new Cortina Sliding Centre, built on the grounds of the historic 1956 track.
Biathlon will be staged at the Anterselva Biathlon Arena in the Antholz Valley, about 30 miles north of Cortina. It will feature the largest spectator capacity of any 2026 Olympic venue, accommodating up to 19,000 fans per session.
Valtellina and Val di Fiemme Olympic Venues: Outdoor and Nordic Events
The Valtellina Valley, located in Lombardy near the Swiss border, will host men’s Alpine skiing and the Olympic debut of ski mountaineering in Bormio at the Stelvio Ski Centre. Freestyle skiing and snowboarding will take place in Livigno at the Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park and Livigno Snow Park.
Val di Fiemme, in the Trentino region, will host cross-country skiing, Nordic combined, Para biathlon, and Para cross-country skiing at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium, which offers nearly 12 miles of trails and space for 15,000 spectators. Ski jumping and Nordic combined jumping events will be held at the renovated Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium.
Verona 2026 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony Caps Historic Games
The closing ceremony on Feb. 22 will take place in Verona at the Verona Olympic Arena, Italy’s third-largest Roman amphitheater, originally built in A.D. 30. The venue will also host the Paralympic opening ceremony on March 6, creating a full-circle moment for the historic site.
Why the 2026 Winter Olympics Will Be Unlike Any Games Before