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Italy prepares for historic third Winter Olympics
The 2026 Winter Olympics will return to Italy as Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo co-host the Games, marking the country's third time staging the event. A record 116 medal events will take place, including ski mountaineering as a new sport.
Great Britain eyes best-ever medal haul
Team GB has set ambitious targets for Milan-Cortina, aiming for four to eight medals after falling short in Beijing 2022. The team secured only two medals in China-both in curling-despite initial projections of three to seven. Recent performances at World Championships and World Cup events, however, have raised hopes, with athletes like snowboarder Mia Brookes and freestyle skier Kirsty Muir emerging as strong contenders.
Eve Muirhead, Team GB's chef de mission, called the 2026 Games an "opportunity to get the most we ever have." UK Sport, the funding body, has shifted from rigid medal targets to flexible ranges in recent years.
Gender equality reaches new milestone
The 2026 Olympics will set a Winter Games record for female participation, with women competing in 53.4% of all medal events. Approximately 1,300 female athletes are expected to take part, up from just 11 in the 1924 debut. Twelve of the 16 disciplines will achieve full gender balance in athlete numbers, including new women's events like luge doubles and ski jumping's individual large hill.
Kirsty Coventry, the IOC's first female president, will oversee the Games, signaling progress in leadership representation. However, Nordic combined remains the only Winter Olympic sport closed to women, with the IOC opting against adding a women's event in 2026 despite athlete advocacy.
NHL stars return amid venue concerns
After a 12-year absence, NHL players will compete in Milan-Cortina, boosting the profile of ice hockey-the Games' most popular sport. The decision has reignited U.S. hopes for a first men's gold since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice," especially with Russia banned from competition. However, venue readiness has raised concerns, particularly for the main rink's ice quality.
NHL representation extends beyond North America, with 11 of the 12 competing teams featuring league players, including 2022 champions Finland and semi-finalists Sweden and Slovakia.
Italy's medal ambitions face challenges
Host nations often see a medal boost, but Italy's last Winter Olympics in 2006 yielded fewer medals than in 2002. The Italian Olympic Committee has set a minimum target of 19 medals, just shy of their record 20 in 1994. Injuries have already sidelined key athletes like alpine skier Marta Bassino, while others, including flagbearer Federica Brignone and freestyle skier Flora Tabanelli, battle fitness issues.
Still, Italy boasts strong contenders, such as speed skater Davide Ghiotto and short track legend Arianna Fontana, who at 35 aims to medal at a sixth consecutive Games. Fontana, Italy's most decorated Winter Olympian, won bronze in Turin 2006 at age 15.
Legacy and sustainability shape 2026 plans
The 2026 Games will be the most geographically dispersed Winter Olympics, spanning multiple regions to minimize new infrastructure. IOC President Kirsty Coventry called this approach "the new normal," emphasizing sustainability. Cortina's Olympic Ice Stadium, originally built for the 1956 Games, will host curling after a roof addition-marking the first outdoor figure skating competition since 1956.
Germany's Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt could become the most decorated Winter Olympians, aiming for their seventh and eighth golds in luge. Meanwhile, Norway's Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, a five-time champion, seeks to surpass legends like Bjørn Dæhlie and Marit Bjørgen.
Broadcast and security plans announced
BBC Sport will air 450 hours of coverage, while the U.S. plans to deploy ICE agents to Milan-Cortina, drawing criticism from Italian officials. Team GB's 53-athlete squad, finalized this week, includes medal hopefuls across bobsleigh, curling, and freestyle skiing.
