2026 Winter Olympics begin in Milan and Cortina with dispersed structure and return of the NHL By Bruna
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The Jogos Olímpicos of Inverno of 2026 officially began this Friday, February 6th, at Itália. The edition, hosted by Milão and Cortina d’Ampezzo, distributes competitions in six different poles, covering an area of approximately 22 thousand square kilometers. Essa configuration makes the Jogos the most scattered in Olympic history.
The opening ceremony took place at Estádio San Siro, at Milão, from 8pm local Italian time (4pm Brasília time). The event featured performances by Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli, under the theme “Harmony”. Pela For the first time, the parade of athletes took place in four simultaneous locations, with two Olympic cauldrons lit.
The Jogos brings together more than 2,800 athletes from around 90 countries until February 22nd. Modalidades how ice hockey gains prominence with the return of NHL players after a 12-year absence. Canadá, Estados Unidos and other powers compete for medals in iconic locations in the Lombardia and Vêneto regions.
- Milan concentrates events in urban arenas, such as figure skating and hockey.
- Cortina d’Ampezzo hosts alpine skiing and curling events on historic slopes.
- Livigno hosts freestyle and snowboard competitions in dedicated parks.
- Other hubs include Bormio for alpine skiing and Antholz-Anterselva for biathlon.
Scattered competition venues
The headquarters of the Jogos Olímpicos of Inverno 2026 occupy a vast region in the north of Itália. Milão and Cortina d’Ampezzo function as main cities, but the events are divided into six distinct clusters. Essa distribution takes advantage of existing facilities and reduces the need for new permanent construction.
Estádio San Siro, home of clubs AC Milan and Inter of Milão, hosts the main ceremony. The Arena Santagiulia, recently built in the Lombard capital, hosts ice hockey matches. Despite delays in finalizing some internal details, authorities confirm that the structure is ready for use during competitions.
Cortina d’Ampezzo, which already hosted Jogos in 1956, concentrates traditional winter events. The local Sliding Centre hosts bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events. Pistas of alpine skiing in Bormio and Cortina maintain their reputation among athletes for offering high technical challenges.
Return of NHL players
Men’s ice hockey gains special attraction with the participation of NHL athletes. The North American league returns to Olimpíadas after absence since 2014. Estrelas as Connor McDavid, for Canadá, and Auston Matthews, for Estados Unidos, debut in
The men’s tournament begins on February 11, with opening games in Milão arenas. The final is scheduled for February 22, right before the closing. Canadá arrives as favorite, after victories in 2010 and 2014 with professional squads.
In the women’s category, Canadá and Estados Unidos renew intense rivalry. The Canadians have won gold in five of the last six editions. The decision takes place on February 19, with a direct confrontation between the teams in the group stage.
Featured Canadian Athletes
Canadá sends a delegation of 207 athletes to Milão-Cortina 2026. The country maintains a tradition of being among the top five in the medals table for seven consecutive editions. Modalidades such as short track speed skating, freestyle skiing and snowboarding represent strengths.
Mikael Kingsbury, specialist in moguls, is looking for another Olympic podium. Marielle Thompson, in ski cross, shares the role of flag bearer in the opening. Outros names include Eliot Grondin in snowboard cross and skater William Dandjinou.
Possible first Canadian medals emerge in the opening weekend. Valerie Maltais, Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann compete in the 3,000 meters of long track speed skating. Abigail Strate participates in the women’s ski jump on a normal track.
New events and modalities
The Milão-Cortina 2026 program introduces mountain skiing as a new sport. Atletas go up and down slopes in endurance events. Outras new features include double moguls, women’s big ramp ski jumping and mixed skeleton relay.
Alpine skiing wins combined team event. Women’s doubles luge also debuts on the Olympic calendar. Essas additions balance the number of tests between genders in various subjects.
International stars to watch
Ilia Malinin, figure skater from Estados Unidos, dominates the men’s category. The 22-year-old performs quadruple jumps with consistency and plans to attempt a quintuple. Ele has not lost competitions since November 2023.
Lindsey Vonn returns to the track at age 41 after retirement and knee surgery. The American skier competes in the descent starting on Sunday. Eileen Gu, for China, repeats performance of Pequim 2022 in freestyle.
Federica Brignone represents Itália in women’s alpine skiing. The athlete won general titles of Copa and Mundo in the previous season. Kaillie Humphries, now in the USA, defends gold in the monobob.
Kaori Sakamoto, from Japão, seeks podium in women’s figure skating. The three-time world champion won bronze in 2022. Leon Draisaitl, for Alemanha, and Mikko Rantanen, for Finlândia, reinforce teams in hockey.
Preparation and logistical challenges
The organization faced races against time in some works. Arena Santagiulia completed essential parts, although minor finishing touches will be completed after Jogos. A cable car planned to access women’s ski slopes was not ready.
Minor issues, such as a brief power outage at the curling arena, were quickly resolved. The sliding center at Cortina passed positive final tests. Autoridades Olympic teams ensure that no delays affect the experience of athletes or the public.
Participation of neutral athletes
Athletes from Rússia and Bielorrússia compete as individual neutrals. The Comitê Olímpico approved 13 Russians and seven Belarusians with no connection to war efforts. Essa measure follows protocol adopted in Paris 2024.
The absence of an official Russian delegation opens up opportunities for other countries. Rússia finished second in the medal table in 2022 with 32 achievements. Nações like Canadá, USA and Noruega can expand dominance in several modalities.
Broadcast and time zones
Events occur in the CET time zone, one hour ahead of the February time of Brasília. Partidas morning hockey broadcasts on Itália broadcast in the afternoon on Brasil. Canais open and streaming cover ceremonies and main events.
Geographic dispersion requires careful monitoring of programming. Locais range from urban areas in Milão to mountains in Dolomitas. Tecnologia broadcast unifies the experience for global viewers.
The Jogos Olímpicos of Inverno of Milão-Cortina 2026 combine tradition and innovation in a unique structure. Competidores compete in 116 events in facilities spread across northern Italy. The edition promises a balance between urban accessibility and classic alpine scenery until it closes on February 22nd.
