milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics: Sustainability meets innovation

in 2026, the world will once again be filled with the excitement of winter sports. the 25th Winter Olympicswill be co-located in Milano and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, marking a historic moment for the country as it hosts the Winter Olympics for the third time, following Cortina in 1956 and Turin in 2006. The Games will feature sustainability and innovation as core values. more than 92% of the existing venues will be recycled to minimize environmental impact, and green transportation systems and renewable energy will be heavily utilizedto reduce carbon emissions. it will also feature cutting-edge technologies such as AI officiating, a Metaverse-based virtual stadium experience, and smart mobility systems, making it one of the most innovative Games in Olympic history. Will the 2026 Games redefine the future of sport?The world will experience a new model for the Winter Olympics that combines sport, technology, and sustainability

🇮🇹 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics 2026: A winter sports extravaganza in Italy

the2026 Winter Olympics, officially the 25th Winter Olympics(Milano Cortina 2026), will be held in the Italian cities of Milano and Cortina d’Ampezzo. It will be the third Winter Olympics to be held in Italy, following Cortina in 1956 and Turin in 2006, and will be a celebration of winter sports in Milano-Cortina

🚀 O verview of the 2026 Winter Olympics

• host City: milan & Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
• dates: February 6 – February 22, 2026
• official name: Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games
• slogan: (to be announced)
• italy’s experience hosting the Winter Olympics
  • 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina
  • 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin
  • milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games

the Games are notable for being the first Winter Olympics to be co-located in two major cities (Milan and Cortina)

1️⃣ Highlights of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics

✅ ‘Decentralized hosting’ – a new model that doesn’t center on a single city

the Games will break away from the traditional ‘one city’ model, with venues spread across Italy. 📌 Key venues and venues

• milano – Opening Ceremony, figure skating, ice hockey, and short track
• cortina d’Ampezzo – alpine skiing, bobsleigh, luge, skeleton
• vale di Fiemme – Nordic skiing, biathlon
• livigno – freestyle skiing, snowboarding
• verona – Closing Ceremony (to be held at Verona Arena)

💡 Thetwist

• for the first time in Olympic history, it is likely that the “opening and closing ceremonies will be held in different cities.
• the opening ceremony will take place at Milan’s San Siro stadium and the closing ceremony will be held at Verona’s Roman amphitheater (Verona Arena).

✅ ‘Sustainable Olympics’ – eco-friendly & economical operations

milano-Cortina 2026 has environmental protection and sustainability as its core values🌱 Green policy

• utilizing 92% of existing venues – minimizing the construction of new venues
• 100% recycling planfor post-Olympic venues
• introducing electric cars & green transportation systems
• set a goal to minimize carbon emissions

📌 Reversal factor

• the Italian government has declared a “zero carbon” Winter Olympics, but there are questions about whether this is realistically achievable.
• if the strategy of utilizing existing venues is successful, it has the potential to be the most economical and sustainable Games in Olympic history.

italy’s ‘Sport Meets Culture’

milan and Cortina are known for their blend of fashion, art, and sports. ✨ Milan – a world-class fashion & culture city

• a city of high-endfashion brands and the latest trends
• innovative possibilities for combining fashion and sports at the opening ceremony

🏔 Cortina d’Ampezzo – Winter wonderland in the Alps

• ski destination thathosted the 1956 Winter Olympics
• competitions in a traditional Alpine village with a beautiful natural setting

📌 Twist element

• a spectacular ‘Italian-style’ opening ceremony and cultural events arelikely to set the Games apart from previous Olympics.
• ahybrid opening ceremony combining art and sportis expected to be planned.

2️⃣ Major events and schedule

✅ Retaining the traditional 15 sports of the Winter Olympics

• alpine skiing
• cross-country skiing
• freestyle skiing
• snowboarding
• speedskating
• short Track
• curling
• figure Skating
• ice Hockey
• biathlon
• luge, bobsleigh, skeleton

📅 Highlights of major events

• opening Ceremony: february 6, 2026 (San Siro Stadium, Milan)
• short Track Final: South Korea, China, and the Netherlands are expected to dominate (mid-February)
• ice Hockey Final: USA vs Canada, with European favorites expected (Feb. 21)
• closing Ceremony: february 22, 2026 (Verona, Verona Arena)

📌 Upset factor

• AI officiating technology may be introduced to some figure skating and short track events
• ‘Virtual stadium experience’ service utilizing VR and metaverse will be available

3️⃣ Economic impact and controversy

✅ Economic impact projections

• estimated economic impact of approximately €6 billion (KRW 8.5 trillion)
• more than 12 million tourists expected
• creation of new employment Approximately 100,000 jobs

⚠️ Controversies and challenges

• transportation issues due to decentralized hosting (travel distances between each venue)
• problems in financing the Olympic preparations amidst Italy’s unstable economic situation
• achieving environmental protection goals (questioning whether carbon emission reduction targets are realistic)

📌 Reversal Factor: Go

• italy is planning to utilizethe post-Olympic venues as a top European winter sports resort.
• the Olympics are expected to boost the economy of Milan and the rest of northern Italy

🏆 What legacy will the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics leave behind?

✅ ‘가장 지속 가능한 동계 올림픽’이 될 것인가?
✅ ‘패션 & 스포츠 올림픽’이라는 새로운 개념을 만들 것인가?
✅ ‘AI & 스마트 기술이 접목된 최초의 동계 올림픽’으로 기록될 것인가?

🚀 2026년 2월, 이탈리아에서 전 세계가 그 답을 확인할 것이다.