Winter Games Ultimate Guide

The next Winter Games in Milan and Cortina, Italy, will begin on February 6, 2026 and conclude with the closing ceremonies on February 22, 2026. View the 2026 Winter Games event schedule here.

The Winter Games are held every four years. The last Winter Games (in 2022) were held in Beijing, China. Following Italy’s Winter Games, the next edition will take place in 2030 in the French Alps, and then the 2034 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

Italy has hosted the Winter Games two times prior to 2026:

1956 in Cortina d’Ampezzo

2006 in Turin

The country also hosted the 1960 Summer Games in Rome. The 2026 edition of the Games will mark Milan’s first time as host.

The 2026 Winter Games will play out in 15 different venues around northern Italy. Venues include:

• Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena (PalaItalia Santa Guilia)– Hockey
• Milano Ice Park (Milano Hockey Arena)– Hockey, Speed Skating
• Milano Ice Skating Arena (Mediolanum Forum) – Figure Skating, Short Track
• Milano San Siro Olympic Stadium (Meazza Stadium) – Opening Ceremony
• Cortina Olympic Stadium  – Curling
• Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre – Women’s Alpine Skiing
• Cortina Sliding Centre – Bobsled, Luge, Skeleton
• Anterselva Biathlon Arena (Suditirol Arena) – Biathlon
• Stelvio Ski Centre Piste – Men’s Alpine Skiing, Ski Mountaineering
• Livigno Snow Park (Mottolino) – Snowboard, Freestyle Skiing
• Livigno Snow Park (Sitas-Tagliede) – Snowboard, Freestyle Skiing
• Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park (Carosello 3000) – Snowboard, Freestyle Skiing
• Tesero Cross-Country Stadium – Cross-Country Skiing, Nordic Combined
• Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium – Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined
• Verona Olympic Arena (Arena di Verona) – Closing Ceremony

The next US Winter Games will be in 2034 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Winter Games are 17 days long, running from February 6-22, 2026. There are a small number of disciplines that have preliminary events taking place in the two days before the Games officially begin on February 6th.

Though we don’t know the exact number yet, we can expect the total to be similar to 2022 when athletes from 91 different countries competed.

For the Winter Games, the qualification process depends on the event. Each different sport is governed by an international sports federation who works closely with the International Olympic Committee. Within each sport, there are various methods to determine who will be selected. Some sports conduct Olympic Trial competitions to determine who will head to the Games. Some are based on individual performance over the period leading up to the Games, sometimes in terms of a points or ranking system. In the case of team sports, the team is usually selected based on athletes’ performance.

In addition, to encourage global participation there are limits on the number of athletes that can participate for a country in each event, as well as quotas for certain regions. The hosting country also may receive automatic qualification for some events.

Norway has won more Winter Games medals than any other country: an impressive total of 405.

A total of 16 different disciplines in 7 different sports will be contested at the 2026 Winter Games:

• Alpine Skiing
• Biathlon
• Bobsled
• Cross-Country Skiing
• Curling
• Figure Skating
• Freestyle Skiing
• Ice Hockey
• Luge
• Nordic Combined
• Short Track Speed Skating
• Skeleton
• Ski Jumping
• Ski Mountaineering
• Snowboard
• Speed Skating

The most popular Winter Games Sport varies largely by country. This interesting 2022 survey by Ipsos shows the popularity of Winter Games sports by country. The survey shows that figure skating holds the widest appeal across the globe. Some sports hold huge appeal in specific countries e.g. ski jumping in Poland and speed skating in Netherlands.

According to a study following the 2018 Winter Games, ski halfpipe reported the largest percentage of injuries, followed by snowboard cross.

If you’re planning on traveling to Italy for the 2026 Winter Games we recommend packing warm clothes, especially ones you can layer. Though the temperature inside the venues may be warm, getting to them (and waiting your turn to enter) may not be. Another important item is comfortable walking shoes. Even if your transportation plan has you arriving very close to the venue, there’s a good chance you’ll discover a wide security perimeter that will require some walking. And of course, don’t forget your travel documents including your passport!

In Italy, you’ll find that many locals speak some basic English, though most are not fluent. In the airports, hotels, and major restaurants and shops, you should have no trouble finding someone who speaks English. All our guests at the 2026 Milan and Cortina Winter Games will have access to our bilingual local host team, who can assist with language obstacles.