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The 2026 Winter Olympics, officially known as the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games, will take place in Northern Italy in February 2026, with the main competition period running from February 6 to February 22, 2026 and select events starting as early as February 4, 2026.
These Games mark the XXV Winter Olympic Games, jointly hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, hosted in the impressive landscape of the Dolomites. More than 116 medal events will be held in 16 winter sports over an 18-day schedule, culminating in a grand closing ceremony on February 22 at Verona’s ancient Roman Arena.
Despite the ceremonial start on February 6 with the Opening Ceremony at San Siro Stadium, Milan, the competition will kick off even before the official opening, with fans enjoying almost three full weeks of high-stakes competition from February 4.
Important dates for Milano Cortina 2026
When is the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics?
The opening ceremony is scheduled for February 6, 2026 and will be held at Milan’s iconic San Siro Stadium, usually home to the city’s football teams, AC Milan and Internazionale.
Traditionally, athletes parade in their national colors before the Olympic flame is officially lit, marking the start of the most anticipated multi-sport event of the winter sports season.
In a departure from previous training, some competitions, especially curling and ice hockey, will start the preliminary rounds on February 4 and 5, prior to the official opening ceremony, due to the tight schedule.
The actual competition will then start on February 7. Alpine skiing, one of the most important winter disciplines, will be among the first to award medals, as in the men’s downhill final, a brutal test of speed and precision on steep alpine terrain. The women’s downhill final and super-G events follow shortly after.
In addition to alpine skiing, the Scandinavian competitions are quickly moving from qualifiers to finals. In cross-country skiing, endurance specialists aim for glory in events such as the women’s 10km classic and the men’s 15km freestyle, both of which provide exciting head-to-head action that culminates in medal ceremonies at the finish against the snowy backdrop of Valtellina.
When will medals be won at the 2026 Winter Olympics?
Early on, medal ceremonies will take place at alpine and endurance events such as the cross-country skiing (Skiathlon) final, with the women’s skiathlon medal event scheduled for February 7, followed by the men’s medal race on February 8.
The alpine skiing and downhill finals follow in two of alpine skiing’s most anticipated medals on February 8 and 9 respectively. The Freestyle Moguls finals also start on February 8, with skiers navigating bumps and aerial views in a judges’ medal event.
As the schedule progresses, the skating medals take over with the figure skating pairs and ice dance finals taking place February 10-11, combining artistry and athletic precision on ice. Medals can also be awarded for the sprint distances in speed skating (including the men’s 500 meters and the women’s 500 meters) on February 10 in the 500 meters speed skating and the team pursuit, while the team pursuit finals will follow later during the Games. The final of the 1500 meter Short Track, often a highlight due to its intensity and adrenaline-inducing turns, will take place on February 12.
Halfway through the Games, the medal program shifts to a mix of endurance, precision and super-fast spectacle. The biathlon relay finals are scheduled for February 13 and 14, where teams will combine cross-country endurance with the pressure of precision shooting in one-missed-target races.
Around the same time, the Skeleton Medal finals on February 14 and 15 will bring drama to the slopes, with athletes racing headfirst around the track at extreme speeds in one of the most visually intense events of the Winter Olympics. The finals of Snowboard Cross and Freestyle Skiing Halfpipe also take place during this route, where mutual races are shown.
As the program approaches the final third of the Games, the focus turns to technical mastery and aerial excellence. Alpine Skiing’s slalom finals, taking place February 16-17, emphasize agility and split-second precision as racers navigate tight courses where fractions of a second separate the podium.
Cross-country skiing and ski jumping can take place at the Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium.
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Shortly afterwards, the spotlight will turn to the Large Hill Ski Jumping final on February 18 for some of the most impressive pictures of the Games, while the Short Track Skating final on the same day will provide real excitement for viewers who prefer a strategic battle with close margins.
As is often the case, team sports conclude the competitions, with Curling ending on February 19 and 20, for women and men respectively, after two and a half weeks of competition. During the same two days, the figure skating singles finals will take place, before concluding one of the most competitive sports: ice hockey, which ends on the last day of competition, February 22.
When is the closing ceremony of Milano Cortina 2026?
This entire competition leads to the Closing Ceremony on February 22, 2026, about 18 days after it begins with the curling preliminaries.
Held this time against the dramatic architecture of Verona’s Roman Arena, the ceremony celebrates the achievements of athletes from around the world, setting an unusual precedent different from the location of the opening ceremony.
The ceremony also marks the process of passing the Olympic flame towards the next Winter Games, which will take place in the French Alps in 2030. It will also mark the final chapter before the start of final preparations for the Summer Olympics to be held in Los Angeles in 2028.
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