The Winter Olympics 2026 in Italy will take place in Milano and Cortina, using some very famous winter sports venues. Events will be held at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre for ski races, the Cortina Sliding Centre for bobsleigh and luge, and Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium for ski jumping. These places show Italy’s strong winter sports history. Other well-known Olympic winter venues in the world include St. Moritz, Lake Placid, and Chamonix.
Milano Cortina Winter Olympics 2026 Venues and Sports Explained
Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre, Cortina Olympic Ski Venue
This mountain course in Cortina d’Ampezzo is used for alpine skiing races like downhill and super-G, which are very fast speed events. It also hosted races in the 1956 Winter Olympics and many World Cup events. Skiers race one by one against the clock on steep, icy slopes.
Cortina Sliding Centre Track for Bobsleigh and Luge
The Cortina Sliding Centre is built for sliding sports like bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton. Athletes race down a narrow ice track at very high speed while lying or sitting on sleds. It is one of the oldest sliding tracks in Italy and is being rebuilt for the 2026 Games.
Stelvio Ski Centre Bormio Downhill Racing Course
The Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio is famous for one of the toughest downhill courses in the world. It will host men’s alpine skiing speed races. The track is very steep and fast, with sharp turns and jumps. Many World Cup races are held here every year.
Predazzo Ski Jump Stadium for Jumping and Nordic
Predazzo Stadium in Val di Fiemme will host ski jumping and Nordic combined events. In ski jumping, athletes slide down a ramp and fly far through the air. Nordic combined mixes ski jumping and cross-country skiing. This venue has hosted many world championships before 2026.
Antholz Anterselva Arena for Olympic Biathlon Events
Antholz-Anterselva Arena is used for biathlon, which mixes cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. Players ski fast laps, then stop and shoot at targets. If they miss, they get time penalties. This is one of the most famous biathlon venues and regularly hosts World Cup races.
Milano San Siro and Ice Arenas for Indoor Sports
In Milano, the San Siro area and nearby ice arenas will host the opening ceremonies and indoor ice sports. These include ice hockey, figure skating, and speed skating. These sports happen inside large stadiums with artificial ice, bright lights, and big crowds watching every performance.
Livigno Snow Park for Freestyle and Snowboard Events
Livigno Snow Park will host snowboarding and freestyle skiing events. These sports include tricks, jumps, and rail slides instead of normal racing. Players are judged on style, height, and clean landings. Livigno is known for its modern snow parks and training areas for trick-based winter sports.
Most Famous Winter Olympic Venues and Winter Olympics 2026
Chamonix France First Winter Olympics Host
Chamonix in France hosted the very first Winter Olympic Games in 1924. It is known as the birthplace of the Winter Olympics. Events like skiing, skating, and bobsleigh were held here, starting the global winter sports tradition.
St Moritz Switzerland Two Time Olympic Venue
St. Moritz hosted the Winter Olympics in 1928 and 1948. It is a famous mountain resort in Switzerland. It is especially known for its natural ice bobsleigh track, where the course is made from snow and water instead of concrete.
Lake Placid USA Miracle on Ice Venue
Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980. It became world famous in 1980 for the Miracle on Ice hockey match at Herb Brooks Arena, where the USA team defeated the Soviet Union in a historic upset win.
Innsbruck Austria Bergisel Ski Jump Site
Innsbruck hosted the Winter Olympics in 1964 and 1976. It is best known for the Bergisel Ski Jump, one of the most famous ski jumping hills in the world. Many top ski jumping and alpine skiing events are still held here.
Lillehammer Norway Modern Classic Olympic Venue
Lillehammer hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway. These Games were praised for beautiful locations and smart planning. Many venues were built to be reused later, making it a model for eco friendly and long lasting Olympic sites.
Winter Olympics 2026: Important Locations
| Location | Main Area | Sports / Events Hosted |
|---|---|---|
| Cortina d’Ampezzo | Alpine & Sliding Zone | Alpine skiing, bobsleigh, luge, skeleton |
| Bormio | Mountain Competition Zone | Ski mountaineering, men’s alpine skiing |
| Livigno | Snow Park Zone | Snowboarding, freestyle skiing |
| Milan (San Siro, Rho, Santagiulia) | City Ice Zone | Opening ceremonies, ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating |
| Tesero | Nordic Zone | Cross-country skiing, Nordic combined |
| Antholz | Biathlon Zone | Biathlon events |
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