With just 100 days remaining until the Milan-Cortina Olympics, northern Italy is preparing to host the most geographically dispersed Winter Games in history. The event will be spread across various locations in the region, including Milan, the industrial hub of northern Italy, and Cortina d’Ampezzo, a luxurious winter resort nestled in the Dolomites mountain range. The distance between these two main clusters is over 400 kilometers by road, requiring visitors to plan for a full day of travel.
Apart from Milan and Cortina, athletes will also compete in three other mountain clusters, while the closing ceremony is scheduled to be held in Verona, the largest city in the northeastern Veneto region. The Games will primarily utilize existing infrastructure, with some venues undergoing renovations or being constructed from the ground up.
In Milan, the iconic San Siro Stadium, home to AC Milan and Inter Milan soccer teams, will host the opening ceremony before being replaced by a new stadium post the Games. The Santagiulia arena, a new 16,000-seat venue, will be the main hockey facility, with completion expected close to the event. Additionally, the Ice Park in Fiera Milano exhibition venue will host ice hockey and speed skating competitions.
Cortina will feature the Tofane alpine skiing center, the Olympia delle Tofane course for women’s alpine skiing, and the renovated Curling Olympic Stadium. The century-old Cortina Sliding Centre, rebuilt for the 2026 Games, has received praise from the International Olympic Committee after facing initial challenges.
In Bormio, the Stelvio course will host men’s alpine skiing and ski mountaineering, while Livigno will welcome snowboarding and freestyle skiing competitions. Predazzo will provide a picturesque setting for ski jumping events, Tesero will host cross-country skiing, and Anterselva will witness the biathlon competition. The closing ceremony will be held at the historic Verona Arena, a Roman amphitheater that serves as a cultural landmark in the UNESCO world heritage city of Verona.