Where the Games Will Take Place

The Winter Olympics 2026 in Milano Cortina will be the most geographically expansive Winter Games in history, spread across two regions (Lombardy and Veneto) and two autonomous provinces (Trentino and South Tyrol). From world-class Alpine slopes to historic arenas, Italy is using a mix of legendary venues and new facilities to stage the Games.

Here’s your guide to the venues hosting the world’s best athletes.

🏔️ Cortina d’Ampezzo – The Queen of the Dolomites

• Events: Alpine skiing (women), curling, biathlon, skeleton, luge, bobsleigh

• Known as the “Queen of the Dolomites”, Cortina returns 70 years after hosting the 1956 Winter Olympics. Its iconic bobsleigh track has been revived, and the curling will be staged in a brand-new Ice Stadium.

• Cortina isn’t just about sport — it’s also a playground for skiers and a backdrop for Hollywood films, from James Bond to House of Gucci.

🏔️ Bormio – The Stelvio Beast

• Events: Alpine skiing (men)

• Famous for its Stelvio piste, one of the toughest downhill courses on the World Cup circuit, Bormio will host the men’s Alpine events, including the blue-ribbon downhill.

• With a vertical drop of over 1,000m, this is where speed, courage, and precision collide. Expect fireworks.

🏔️ Livigno – Freestyle & Snowboard Capital

• Events: Freestyle skiing and snowboarding (slopestyle, big air, halfpipe, snowboard cross)

• Perched at 1,800m and known for its high-altitude terrain parks, Livigno will showcase the sport’s most progressive athletes. From snowboard big air to freestyle halfpipe, this is where style meets adrenaline.

• Livigno has a vibrant après scene too, making it a fan favourite.

🏔️ Val di Fiemme & Predazzo – Nordic Heartland

• Events: Cross-country skiing, ski jumping, Nordic combined

• A classic name on the FIS Nordic circuit, Val di Fiemme and Predazzo have hosted three Nordic World Championships. They’ll now stage Olympic events across cross-country, ski jumping and Nordic combined.

• Expect huge crowds, ski festival energy, and a true Nordic atmosphere in the Dolomites.

🏔️ Anterselva (Antholz) – Biathlon’s Cathedral

• Events: Biathlon

• A legendary venue for biathlon, Anterselva sits at 1,600m in South Tyrol. Its biathlon stadium regularly hosts World Cup events, and its natural amphitheatre offers some of the most stunning backdrops of the Games.

🏙️ Milan – Ice & Opening Ceremony

• Events: Figure skating, short track speed skating, ice hockey

• San Siro Stadium in Milan will host the Opening Ceremony on 6 February 2026, bringing Olympic fire to one of football’s greatest arenas.

• Ice events will take place in modern city arenas, giving fans the chance to combine a winter sports trip with Italy’s fashion and culture capital.

🏛️ Verona – Closing Ceremony

• Events: Closing Ceremony (Arena di Verona)

• Few Olympics have ended in a setting as dramatic as the Roman amphitheatre in Verona. Built in the 1st century, the Arena will stage the Closing Ceremony on 22 February 2026, uniting 2,000 years of history with the modern Olympic spirit.

20th October 2025

Everything You Need to Know About Opening Ceremony

A World First: One Opening Ceremony, Many Stages – From Milan to the Mountains

The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 are set to open in unforgettable fashion with a celebration that is as visionary as it is inclusive. For the first time in Olympic history, the Opening Ceremony will take place simultaneously across multiple iconic locations, including Milan’s San Siro Olympic Stadium, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Predazzo, and Livigno.

Scheduled for 6 February 2026, this marks a historic evolution in the way the world comes together to launch the Games. It’s a bold expression of the Games’ identity, stretching across city and snow-covered peaks, reflecting Italy’s rich regional diversity and celebrating its unique Olympic model.

A Ceremony That Mirrors the Mountain Spirit

Milano Cortina 2026 is the first Winter Olympics to fully embrace a multi-centred model — hosting events across the regions of Lombardy, Veneto, Trentino, and Alto Adige. The Opening Ceremony follows suit, creating a shared experience that connects athletes, spectators and viewers across the country and the globe.

At the heart of the vision is the idea that every athlete, from every venue, should have the opportunity to take part in one of the Games’ most powerful traditions. Whether competing in Milan, Cortina, Valtellina or Val di Fiemme, athletes will join in the celebration as honoured participants.

Theme: Armonia – A Story Told Through Harmony

The theme guiding the Opening Ceremony is “Armonia”, the Italian word for harmony. This concept forms the backbone of the creative vision, symbolising balance between:

• City and nature

• Tradition and innovation

• Art and sport

• The local and the global

Organisers describe Armonia as “a visual and emotional journey through Italian excellence,” reflecting the values of the Olympic Movement while celebrating Italy’s cultural, natural and artistic heritage.

The ceremony will be a tribute to Leonardo da Vinci’s ingenuity, Italian design and music, and the elegance that defines both the country and its creative output, from the slopes of the Dolomites to the stage of Milan’s opera houses.

Led by Italy’s Finest Creative Talents

Bringing this vision to life is a renowned creative team, led by Marco Balich and Balich Wonder Studio, the award-winning producers behind previous Olympic and world-class ceremonies.

The team includes:

• Damiano Michieletto – Acclaimed opera director (Royal Opera House, Vienna State Opera, La Scala)

• Paolo Fantin – Set designer renowned for bold theatrical designs

• Andrea Farri – Music director and Venice Soundtrack Stars Award winner

• Massimo Cantini Parrini – Award-winning costume designer (Oscar, BAFTA, David di Donatello nominee)

• Matilda De Angelis – Internationally recognised Italian actress and voice of the Ceremony

Their combined vision will present a Ceremony that’s visually spectacular and emotionally resonant and anchored in authenticity and Italian artistic identity.

A Dual Flame, Shared by City and Mountain

In another historic first, two Olympic cauldrons will be lit, one at Milan’s Arco della Pace, and one in Cortina’s Piazza Dibona.

This twin flame represents the dual soul of Milano Cortina: modern urban energy on one side, Alpine elegance and tradition on the other. Both sites will be seamlessly integrated into the ceremony through real-time broadcast, allowing each location to shine in its own right.

A Tribute to Giorgio Armani

The Opening Ceremony will also include a special tribute to the late Giorgio Armani, one of Italy’s most iconic designers and a longstanding contributor to the Olympic Games. His work will feature in Team Italy’s official look, and the tribute will honour his legacy of style, discipline and dedication to excellence all values shared with the Olympic spirit.

Global Reach and Local Legacy

With an expected global audience of nearly two billion, the Milano Cortina 2026 Opening Ceremony promises to be one of the most widely viewed and talked-about events of the year. It’s also a moment of deep significance for Italy, and particularly for Milan’s San Siro Stadium, which may be nearing the end of its historic run as a major international venue.

Organisers have emphasised that this ceremony is not only a spectacle but also a statement about the future — one that celebrates inclusion, sustainability and legacy for future generations.

How to Experience It

• In person: Tickets for the San Siro Ceremony are now available. Mountain venue attendance details will follow closer to the date.

• Online and on TV: The event will be broadcast live internationally, including coverage across the BBC and Eurosport in the UK.

• From the slopes: Those skiing in the Dolomites during the Games may find themselves within reach of Cortina or Livigno — where the ceremony’s spirit will be felt just as strongly.

The Milano Cortina 2026 Opening Ceremony will be the first of its kind: a multi-location, multi-sensory celebration that unites Italy’s mountains and cities in a single story of harmony.

For snow sports fans, it’s a chance to witness the Olympic spirit take form not only in stadiums, but on the slopes, in the piazzas, and within the landscapes that define winter itself.

Milano Cortina 2026 will spread events across mountains and cities, old and new. It’s the first Winter Games to be so geographically vast and the mix of Alpine tradition, modern arenas, and cultural landmarks will make it a truly unique Olympic experience.

For more on dates, athletes, and sports, see our Ultimate Guide to the Winter Olympics 2026.