Winter Olympics in Italy: a 70-year legacy

When people talk about the Winter Olympics in Italy, the first name that comes to mind is Cortina d’Ampezzo. Here, in the heart of the Dolomites, the VII Winter Olympic Games were held in 1956, marking the first “snow” Olympics ever hosted by Italy. It was a compact and elegant Olympics, deeply connected to the mountain landscape: competition venues were located close to one another, and the event was almost entirely identified with a single location, Cortina itself, which from that moment entered the collective imagination as a symbol of Italian alpine skiing and winter high society.

Fifty years later, with the Turin Olympics, the model changed significantly. The XX Winter Olympic Games marked the definitive entry of a major city like Turin into the heart of the event, alongside the Piedmont valleys used for snow-based disciplines. Turin 2006 was also an opportunity for profound urban transformation: infrastructure, transport systems, and public spaces were rethought, leaving a legacy that extended well beyond the two weeks of competition.

The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games fit into this sporting and cultural history, but do so with an even more distinctive approach, reflecting the changes that have taken place in the way major international sporting events have been conceived in recent decades.

Winter Olympics 2026: a “distributed” and original edition.

The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, scheduled from February 6 to February 22, 2026, will be characterized by a strongly decentralized structure. There will be no single “Olympic city”, but rather a network of venues spread across Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, and numerous alpine locations in Northern Italy.

Milan will mainly host ice events and symbolic moments, while mountain competitions will take place in locations such as Bormio, Livigno, Predazzo, and Anterselva, all well known to winter sports enthusiasts. This choice makes it possible to highlight different territories and avoid the large-scale construction of new infrastructure concentrated in a single area.

The “distributed” model also reflects growing attention to environmental sustainability and post-Olympic legacy. The stated goal is to use existing or temporary facilities, reducing the impact on the landscape and on public finances. This approach marks a clear departure from past Olympic editions and reflects new expectations surrounding events of this scale.

San Siro and the Verona Arena: sport meets history.

Another element that sets Milan-Cortina 2026 apart is the choice of venues for the official ceremonies. The Opening Ceremony, scheduled for February 6, 2026, will take place at San Siro Stadium in Milan, one of the most recognizable landmarks of Italian sport. The decision to open the Games in a city stadium, rather than in a mountain location, signals the intention to assign Milan a central symbolic role, making the city the main institutional and media stage of the event.

Even more striking will be the Closing Ceremony, scheduled for February 22, 2026, which will be held at the Verona Arena, a Roman amphitheater dating back to the 1st century AD and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This choice is unprecedented in Olympic history: for the first time, an Olympic event will conclude in a historic site of such value, transforming an ancient monument into a stage for one of the world’s most widely followed sporting events.

This decision is significant because it reinforces the idea of presenting these Olympics as a grand national narrative, capable of bringing together sport, history, and artistic heritage in a single story.

New Olympic winter sports: the future starts now.

Alongside traditional disciplines, Milan-Cortina 2026 will introduce an important innovation: ski mountaineering will enter the Olympic program for the first time, with sprint and mixed relay events.

Ski mountaineering is a discipline deeply connected to the mountains and alpine culture. It combines the physical effort of uphill climbing, the technical skills of downhill skiing, and a direct knowledge of the natural environment. Its inclusion in the Olympic Games represents official recognition of a sport that, until a few years ago, remained far from the major international spotlight. Beyond its competitive dimension, ski mountaineering tells a deeper story: the relationship between humans and nature in the Alps, and the central role these mountains play in the Italian experience.

The Paralympics: an event that extends the Games.

Classifica: elenco degli atleti o delle squadre ordinati in base ai risultati ottenuti. Ranking of athletes or teams ordered according to the results achieved.

La classifica provvisoria è stata aggiornata dopo la seconda manche.

The provisional rankings were updated after the second run.

Batteria: gara o serie di gare preliminari in cui gli atleti competono per accedere alla fase successiva. Heat or series of preliminary races in which athletes compete to advance to the next stage.

Dopo aver vinto la batteria, l’atleta si è qualificato per la semifinale.

After winning the heat, the athlete qualified for the semifinal.

Pista: tracciato preparato per lo svolgimento di gare su neve o ghiaccio, come sci alpino, bob o slittino. Prepared course designed for competitions on snow or ice, such as alpine skiing, bobsleigh, or luge.

La pista di discesa libera è considerata una delle più impegnative del programma olimpico.

The downhill course is considered one of the most demanding in the Olympic program.

Impianto sportivo: struttura costruita o adattata per ospitare competizioni sportive ufficiali. Facility built or adapted to host official sporting competitions.

Gli impianti sportivi olimpici devono rispettare standard di sicurezza molto rigidi.

Olympic sports facilities must comply with very strict safety standards.

Medagliere: tabella che riassume il numero di medaglie conquistate da ciascun Paese durante i Giochi. Table summarizing the number of medals won by each country during the Games.

L’Italia ha migliorato la propria posizione nel medagliere rispetto all’edizione precedente.

Italy improved its position in the medal table compared to the previous edition.

Qualificazione: fase preliminare di una competizione che consente agli atleti di accedere ai turni successivi o alla fase finale. Preliminary stage of a competition that allows athletes to advance to the next rounds or to the final.

L’atleta ha superato la qualificazione e si è assicurato un posto in finale.

The athlete passed the qualification round and secured a place in the final.

Finale: gara conclusiva di una disciplina o specialità, che assegna le medaglie. Final race of a discipline or event, in which medals are awarded.

La finale di sci acrobatico si disputerà nel pomeriggio.

The freestyle skiing final will take place in the afternoon.

Podio: spazio riservato ai primi tre classificati di una gara, dove vengono assegnate le medaglie. Platform reserved for the top three finishers in a competition, where medals are awarded.

Con questo risultato, l’Italia torna sul podio dopo molti anni.

With this result, Italy returns to the podium after many years.

E ORA TOCCA A VOI

Riempire gli spazi bianchi di questo paragrafo usando le parole difficili che avete imparato. Ogni parola può essere usata una sola volta! Fill in the blanks in this paragraph using the Parole difficili you have learned. Each word can be used only once!

In vista delle Olimpiadi invernali di Milano-Cortina 2026, l’organizzazione delle gare prevede una distribuzione attenta delle competizioni tra diverse località. Ogni ___________ sarà preparata secondo standard internazionali, mentre gli ___________ dovranno garantire sicurezza ed efficienza per atleti e pubblico. Prima di arrivare alla ___________, molti sport prevedono una fase di ___________ articolata in più turni, spesso suddivisi in ___________. Al termine delle competizioni, solo i migliori tre atleti saliranno sul ___________, contribuendo a determinare la ___________ ufficiale della gara e, nel complesso, la posizione dell’Italia nel ___________ olimpico.