Although the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will be the fourth Games held in Italy, it will mark the first time Milan is host.
Cortina d’Ampezzo successfully hosted the 1956 Olympic Summer Games, originally being awarded the 1944 Olympic Games which were later cancelled due to World War II. Four years after Cortina d’Ampezzo 1956, the Games of the XVII Olympiad took place in Rome in 1960. The Winter Games returned to Italy at Turin 2006, after Cortina’s failed bids for the 1988 and 1992 Games.
When Milano Cortina was awarded the XXV Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the organizers knew they wanted to focus on sustainability and legacy, with 13 of the 14 venues already existing or being temporary structures.
On theme with the concept of legacy, the Olympic Closing Ceremony will take place in the Verona Olympic Arena, a Roman amphitheatre that dates back to the 1st century. Meanwhile, the Paralympic Closing Ceremony will be hosted in the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, which was first built for the 1956 Games.
Learn more about the legacy of the Olympic Games in Italy, as well as a more detailed summary of the venues.