Italy is preparing to welcome the world’s winter sports elite, as athletes and fans alike gather for the start of the 2026 Winter Olympics. Milano Cortina 2026 will feature 16 sports, including several new additions, and a total of 116 gold medals up for grabs. The Games officially open this Friday, February 6, and will run through February 22. The 2026 Winter Olympics are being co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy, while the French Alps region has been selected to host the 2030 Winter Olympic Games.
The 2026 Winter Olympics will kick off with the opening ceremony on Friday, February 6, at 12:30 AM IST (next day) / 8:00 PM CET. Nonetheless, the initial medal events are scheduled to commence on Saturday, February 7, at 4:00 PM IST, featuring the Men's Downhill Alpine Skiing.
The 2026 Winter Olympics will take place across Northern Italy, with main events in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, as well as locations in Valtellina, Val di Fiemme, and Anterselva. This edition will be the most geographically dispersed Winter Games ever, with the main venues situated over 400 kilometers (250 miles) apart by road. The closing ceremony is scheduled to occur in Verona, which is 160 km (100 miles) east of Milan.
The 2026 Winter Olympics will be aired worldwide by different official rights holders. In India, Viacom18 is the main source for live broadcasts, allowing viewers to stream the games on JioCinema or watch them live on Sports18.
February 4: Competition begins (curling).
February 6: Opening ceremony.
February 7: First gold medal events.
February 8: Gold medal, women’s Alpine skiing downhill.
February 13: Gold medal, men’s figure skating.
February 18: Gold medal, women’s Alpine skiing slalom.
February 19: Gold medal, women’s figure skating. Gold medal game, women’s ice hockey. First gold medals in ski mountaineering, a new Olympic sport.
February 22: Gold medal game, men’s ice hockey. Closing ceremony.
India is set to make its presence felt at the 2026 Winter Olympics, with alpine skier Arif Mohammad Khan, India’s only representative at Beijing 2022 set to return. He will be joined by fellow alpine skier Aanchal Thakur, who gained attention after securing two gold medals at the Khelo India Winter Games 2025.
Russia and Belarus remain barred from team events at the 2026 Winter Games due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Major governing bodies, including the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), have also voted to exclude athletes from both nations from qualification events, effectively blocking their participation even as neutral competitors. Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed that Israel is cleared to compete in the 2026 Games despite some calls for exclusion.
