(Photo Credit: EPA-EFE/LAURENT GILLIERON)

Winter Olympics 2026 In Italy

Italy won a bid to host the 2026 winter Olympics. The games will be held in Milan, Italy, and the nearby town of Cortina d’Ampezzo from February 6th to February 22nd, 2026.

A committee selected by the International Olympic Committee voted on the location for the 2026 games. Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden, was the runner-up. Milan won 47 votes and Stockholm won 34, according to NPR.

“We can look forward to outstanding and sustainable Olympic Winter Games in a traditional winter sports country. The passion and knowledge of Italian fans, together with experienced venue operators, will create the perfect atmosphere for the best athletes in the world,” said Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, after Milan won the vote.

Stockholm also threw its hat in the ring to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, but the honor ultimately went to Beijing, the capital city of China. There was greater public support among fans and government officials in Northern Italy for hosting the games than there was in Stockholm.

Only about half the Swedish population supported hosting the Olympics, the New York Times reported. When the IOC announced Milan as the winner, Italian delegates erupted in cheers.

2026 will be the first year Italy has hosted Olympic games since the 1950s.