The Most European Olympics Ever In February 2026, the Olympic flame will return to Europe for one of the most ambitious and symbolically important Winter Games in modern history. Officially known as the 2026 Winter Olympics and branded as Milano Cortina 2026, the XXV Olympic Winter Games will take place from 6 February to 22 February 2026, with preliminary competitions starting already on 4 February. These Games will be co-hosted by Milan, Italy’s financial and cultural capital, and Cortina d’Ampezzo, one of the most iconic alpine resorts in the world. Additional venues will be spread across Northern Italy, including Bormio, Livigno, Anterselva, Predazzo, Tesero and Verona. This makes Milano Cortina 2026 the most geographically distributed Winter Olympics in history. Unlike previous editions, these Games are not centered around one Olympic city. Instead, they follow a polycentric model based on existing infrastructure, high-speed rail connections and sustainable reuse of historical venues. This reflects a fundamental shift in Olympic philosophy: from monumental construction to long-term legacy, from gigantism to realism, from spectacle to responsibility. Milano Cortina 2026 is also historically significant. It marks exactly 70 years since Cortina hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956 and 20 years since Turin hosted the Games in 2006. For Italy, this is not just another sporting event — it is a symbolic return to the center of the Olympic world.