Where are the Winter Olympics this year? Milano Cortina 2026 begins Feb 6 in Italy

The Winter Olympics have officially begun in Milan and Cortina, Italy, marking one of history’s most ambitious Games. Starting February 6 and running through February 22, 2026, Milano Cortina will test over 3,700 athletes from 93 nations across 16 disciplines spread across spectacular Alpine terrain.

Where Are The Winter Olympics Taking Place?

The Winter Olympics are spread across northern Italy in a first-of-its-kind distributed format. Milan serves as the primary host city, staging indoor ice events including figure skating, ice hockey, and speed skating at iconic venues like the San Siro Stadium. Cortina d’Ampezzo, site of the 1956 Winter Olympics, anchors all alpine skiing competitions in the breathtaking Dolomite Mountains.

Four additional mountain clusters spread across Livigno, Valtellina, and Val di Fiemme host snowboarding, freestyle skiing, biathlon, and cross-country events. Ski mountaineering uses Alpine courses across multiple peaks. This distributed approach creates the most geographically dispersed Winter Olympics ever, emphasizing sustainability and using existing venues rather than massive construction.

When Does Everything Start And Where To Watch?

The official Opening Ceremony airs February 6 at 10:40 AM PST on NBC and streams on Peacock with Mariah Carey headlining performances. However, several sports began competing earlier this week, including curling, ice hockey, luge, ski jumping, and figure skating.

The Games run continuously through February 22 with events airing live throughout mornings and afternoons on Peacock, with primetime replays on NBC each evening. The time difference works favorably for US audiences since Italy is six hours ahead of the East Coast, placing many medal finals in ideal morning viewing windows.

Event	Location	Status
Figure Skating	Milan	Underway
Alpine Skiing	Cortina d’Ampezzo	Underway
Ice Hockey	Milan	In Progress
Curling	Cortina	Matches Daily

“Milano Cortina will be the most spread-out Winter Games ever staged, jumping from Milan’s arenas to the Dolomites’ classic Alpine slopes. This is shaping up to feel like a full, proper Olympics again.”

— The Guardian, Olympics Coverage

What Makes Milano Cortina 2026 Special?

This Winter Olympics marks a historic moment with 93 participating nations, including three making their debut: Benin, Guinea-Bissau, and the United Arab Emirates. Ski mountaineering debuts as an official Olympic discipline after decades of popularity in Europe. Over 3,700 athletes will compete for 195 medals across 16 disciplines, including new medal events in dual moguls, men’s and women’s doubles luge, and women’s large hill ski jumping.

The US sent a 232-athlete roster with nearly equal gender representation. Notable American stars include Jordan Stolz, the speed skating sensation targeting three gold medals in the 500m, 1000m, and 1500m. Ilia Malinin, the Quad God, attempts to win figure skating gold with his revolutionary quadruple Axel. Mikaela Shiffrin seeks redemption after a difficult Beijing Games, while Lindsey Vonn, at 41 years old, pursues a remarkable comeback on her favorite mountain with a completely ruptured ACL.

Which Sports Matter Most And How Competition Works?

Alpine skiing, figure skating, snowboard halfpipe, and speed skating historically draw the highest viewership. Ice hockey becomes more competitive than ever with NHL players returning for the first time since 2014, bringing global superstars like Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby to elite competition. Curling maintains its cult following with defending gold medalists Amos Mosaner and Stefania Constantini from Italy returning to defend on home ice.

Cross-country skiing, biathlon, and Nordic combined strongly favor traditional powerhouses Norway, Sweden, and Germany. Snowboarding, freestyle skiing, and figure skating consistently produce thrilling upsets and technical showdowns. Italy‘s ice dancers Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri chase an elusive Olympic medal in likely their final Games, creating emotional home-soil drama.

“These Olympics are spread across northern Italy in a first-of-its-kind distributed format emphasizing sustainability and using existing venues rather than massive construction.”

— Olympic.com, Official Venues Guide

Will Team USA Dominate Like Expected?

The United States excels in alpine skiing, snowboarding, and freestyle events, with 232 athletes competing across all disciplines. Chloe Kim, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and crossover star, targets a historic third straight halfpipe gold despite injury concerns. Speed skater Erin Jackson, who made history as the first Black woman to win gold in any Winter Olympics individual event, defends her 500m title.

The Blade Angels (the US women’s figure skating team) including Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito, pursues the country’s first women’s singles gold since 2002. Conversely, Norway traditionally dominates with Johannes Høsflot Klæbo chasing cross-country immortality. Will Team USA exceed expectations against resurgent European powers and the return of NHL talent in ice hockey?

Sources

• The Guardian – Comprehensive Milano Cortina 2026 preview and FAQs
• Olympics.com – Official Winter Olympics schedule and venue information
• NBC Olympics – Complete US broadcast schedule and team roster details