The Winter Games will feature eight new sports across the 17-day event.
WASHINGTON — In exactly six months, the 2026 Winter Olympics will begin with an Opening Ceremony in Italy, bringing the Games close to their Greek roots.
Next year, the Winter Games will be hosted by two Italian cities, Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
More than 3,500 athletes from 93 countries will compete in the 16 Olympic and six Paralympic sports event next year. Several prolific American athletes are expected to compete, with the U.S. a top contender for medal count.
Here is everything to know about the 2026 Winter Olympics.
When are the Winter Olympics?
The Winter Olympics are set to open on Feb. 6, 2026, through Feb. 22, 2026. The Paralympic Winter Games will begin a month after, on Mar. 6, 2026, through Mar. 16, 2026.
Who will be competing at the Winter Olympics?
The Winter Games will feature 16 different sports, including ski jumping, snowboarding, bobsleighing and figure skating.
Chloe Kim, Mikaela Shiffrin, Lindsey Vonn, Jordan Stolz, Brittany Bowe, Madison Chock and Evan Bates are some possible Team USA favorites that could take the spotlight during the 2026 Winter Games.
How long are the Winter Olympics?
The Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics will last 17 days.
In the Milano area, events will be held at San Siro Stadium, Mediolanum Forum in Assago, Palasharp in Lampugnano and the Santa Giulia arena.
What are the mascots for the Winter Olympics 2026?
The 2026 Olympics features two mascots, Tina and Milo, whose names are representative of the host cities Cortina and Milano.
Tina and Milo are stoats, or small mammals that are part of the mustelid family along with weasels and otters.
What will the Winter Olympic medals look like?
The 2026 medals are comprised of two halves coming together to make the Olympic rings. They feature the Olympic rings on one side and the games’ logos on the other with specific events engraved on each medal.
The medals are being produced by Italy’s state mint, the Zecca dello Stato, using recycled metal recovered from its own production waste, according to the Olympics.
More than 1,100 medals will be awarded throughout the 195 events in the Milan Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Will there be any new sports at the Winter Olympics?
There will be eight new Olympic events at the 2026 Winter Games.
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Ski mountaineering: men’s sprint, women’s sprint and mixed-gender relay
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Freestyle skiing: men’s and women’s dual moguls
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Open luge: women’s doubles
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Skeleton: mixed-gender team event
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Ski jumping: women’s large hill event
The only sport not returning for the 2026 Winter Olympics is the alpine skiing mixed team parallel event.
Are the Olympics every two years?
From 1924 through 1992, the Winter and Summer Olympics were both held in the same year, every four years.
Things changed in 1994 when the Winter and Summer games split and were then held every two years instead. The 1994 Winter Olympics were held in Lillehammer, Norway, followed by the Summer Games in 1996 in Atlanta.
However, the Summer and Winter Olympics are each held every four years, respectively.
When are the 2028 Summer Olympics?
Two years after the Winter Games, the Olympics will return to the U.S. The 2028 Olympic Games will have its opening ceremony in Los Angeles on July 14, 2028. The Games will run through July 30, with the Paralympic Games starting on Aug. 15 and ending on Aug. 27.
When was the last time the U.S. hosted the Olympics?
It’s been more than 20 years since the U.S. was the host country for the Olympics. The last Games to be held in the U.S. were 2002’s Winter Olympics, which were held in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Summer Games were last in the states for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
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