What You Need to Know About the 2026 Winter Olympics

Location:

This year’s Olympic Games are going to be the first to span multiple regions and two host cities: Milan and Cortina. During the games, athletes will compete in events at twenty-five venues. There will be six Olympic Villages for athletes to reside in for two and a half weeks. The use of existing venues across a large region minimizes the carbon footprint of the Olympics, but it can provide a challenge to spectators hoping to attend events in person, as getting between venues could take hours by car. Milan is the biggest of the host cities and will host the opening ceremony, skating, and hockey. Cortina will host sliding sports and women’s skiing; Valtellina will host freestyle skiing, snowboarding, ski mountaineering, and men’s skiing. Val di Fiemme will host cross-country skiing and ski jumping, with Verona hosting the closing ceremony. 

Main Events:

Throughout the two weeks of the Games, 119 events will take place with 245 gold medals being awarded. The Olympics will feature sixteen disciplines across eight sports. Some of the events that traditionally draw the largest audiences are alpine skiing, ice hockey, snowboarding, and skating. The games will also feature new events, including ski mountaineering, women’s dual moguls, women’s large hill ski jumping, and mixed-team skeleton. These added events promote gender equality, adding new events that were previously only for men and modernizing the game in an exciting way. The Opening Ceremony will take place on February 6, 2026, and will feature the Parade of Nations, cultural performances, and the lighting of the Olympic flame. The Closing Ceremony will conclude the Games on February 22, 2026, and will celebrate the athletic achievements, unity among many nations, and the passing of the Olympic flag to the next host. 

History:

The first Winter Olympics took place in 1924 in Chamonix, France, 28 years after the modern Olympic Games began in 1896. Athletes from sixteen nations competed in sports designed for snowy and icy conditions. Although figure skating was first introduced at the 1908 Summer Olympics, it was later moved to the Winter Games, where it quickly became a fan favorite. Over the century-long history of the Games, many events have been added, with new sports introduced at nearly every Olympic Games. As a result, the Winter Olympics have continued to grow, incorporating modern technological advances and a spirit of global unity. Today, the Games bring together countries from across the world and remains the largest international winter sporting event. 

Top Olympians to Watch:

Every four years, many countries and hundreds of athletes compete in the Winter Olympics, but a handful stand out. Lindsey Vonn is a one of that handful and is considered one of the best Alpine skiers of all time. The American athlete currently holds one gold medal and three bronze medals, and became the first woman to win 82 World Cup races. Another remarkable athlete is Kaillie Humphries, a Canadian athlete now representing America in the bobsledding event. She was the first Canadian woman to win a gold medal in this event, both in 2010 and 2014, and in 2022, won a third gold medal in monobob on team U.S. In figure skating, the young but promising Alysa Liu has grasped the attention of many, as she became the youngest female to win the U.S. figure skating championship at the age of 13. She debuted for the Winter Olympics in 2022, placing seventh, and in 2025, won the world championships. Last but not least is Chloe Kim, an American snowboarder who won a gold medal in the half-pipe event, becoming the youngest woman ever to do so in this event at only seventeen. She won another gold medal for the same event in the 2022 Winter Olympics. 

Importance:

Besides being one of the largest events in the world, the Winter Olympics brings a necessary sense of international unity and peace. Athletes compete respectfully and promote peaceful competition, rather than conflict. It’s also a means for athletes to make a name for themselves, performing for millions of people around the world and showcasing their skills. The Winter Olympics are also an event of cultural exchange, not only unifying countries, but broadening the views of the audience through the display of the host country’s culture and traditions. From an economic and social point of view, the Winter Olympics increase tourism and lead to the host country improving its infrastructure in preparation for the games. The Winter Olympics are an opportunity to display human achievements and unite the world for this remarkable sporting event.