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All eyes will be on Italy as the European country hosts the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The Winter Games will be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, a historic first for the Olympic Games. They will be the first Games held under the president of the International Olympic Committee, Kirsty Coventry, and the third time they will be held in the country.
16 different sports will be showcased during the games with 116 medal events. Ski mountaineering will debut as a sport and the NHL has allowed its players to compete in the Olympic Games for the first time since 2014.
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IOC President Kirsty Coventry speaks to volunteers ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (Daniele Mascolo/Pool photo via AP)
With the opening ceremony just days away, read below for everything fans need to know about this year’s Games.
Which city will host the 2026 Olympic Games?
The Olympic rings stand near Anterselva di Sopra (Antholz Obertal), which will host the biathlon competition at the Sudtirol Arena Alto Adige, as part of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, in Anterselva Di Mezzo, Italy, on January 31, 2026. (REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch)
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded the Winter Olympic Games to a joint bid from Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on June 24, 2019. The Italian venues were awarded to a joint bid from Sweden, which opted for Stockholm and Are. This is the first Olympic Games organized jointly by two cities.
The opening ceremony will take place at the Stadio San Siro in Milan. It is the largest stadium in Italy and one of the largest in Europe. The Verona Arena, a Roman amphitheater, will be the site of the closing ceremonies.
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When does it start?
Police walk through the Olympic Village ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
The Winter Olympic Games will officially begin on February 6 and end on February 22. The first medals will be awarded on February 7 in the alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, speed skating, ski jumping and snowboarding events.
How to watch?
NBC will broadcast specific events on its cable channels and will stream all events live on Peacock.
What to expect?
Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States celebrates winning the women’s alpine ski slalom World Cup in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)
The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held in Europe for the first time since 2006, when they were held in Turin, Italy. Entering the Olympics this time, the United States is not the powerhouse in winter sports like they are in summer.
The United States finished third in total medals in 2022 in Beijing. The Americans also tied with China for third place in number of gold medals. Norway and Germany are the two countries that have dominated winter sports in the last Winter Games.
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Russian and Belarusian athletes are also banned from competing under their flags due to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Athletes will compete as Individual Neutral Athletes.
Benin, Guinea-Bissau and the United Arab Emirates make their debut this time at the Winter Olympics.
