The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are entering their final preparation phase as the Olympic Torch Relay continues its historic journey through Italy, with organizers announcing that venues are now complete and over 50,000 workforce members have been accredited for the upcoming Games.
The Olympic Winter Games, scheduled for February 6 to 22, 2026, will bring together approximately 3,000 athletes from 90 countries competing across 116 medal events. The Paralympic Winter Games will follow from March 6 to 15, further extending the celebration of winter sports excellence in the Italian Alps.
The new year began with a spectacular moment as the Olympic Flame was carried on skis for the first time during Stage 26 of the Torch Relay in Roccaraso. The stage, spanning over 28 kilometers with 154 torchbearers, represented one of the most emblematic moments of the relay's journey through southern Italy. The flame's passage through the country's most iconic winter sports locations has captured the imagination of millions of spectators.
Venues across Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo are now in their final phase of construction and fit-out. The Uniform and Accreditation Centre opened in November and has already processed tens of thousands of staff, volunteers, and contractors. Additional accreditation centers in the mountain clusters will open in January to handle the surge in Games-time preparations.
Team rosters continue to be announced, with the full U.S. men's and women's hockey teams revealed on January 2. The men's team, competing in the first Olympics with active NHL players since 2014, includes two sets of brothers: Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, and Jack and Quinn Hughes. Finland has also unveiled its roster as the defending gold medalists seek to repeat their success.
The Games will also feature a debut sport: ski mountaineering. Athletes will race up and down courses, alternating between skiing and running on foot, with medals awarded in men's and women's sprints and a mixed-gender relay. The opening ceremony, to be held at the legendary San Siro soccer stadium in Milan, will be hosted by NBC's Savannah Guthrie and Terry Gannon, featuring a special performance by Mariah Carey.
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