IOC INVITATION CEREMONY, ONE YEAR TO GO

To mark one year until the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today sent official invitations to the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and their top winter sports athletes to participate in the XXV Olympic Winter Games, Milano Cortina 2026, set to take place from 6 to 22 February 2026.

During a ceremony held in Milan’s Teatro Strehler, IOC President Thomas Bach symbolically presented invitations to the presidents and representatives of the NOCs of Greece, as the birthplace of the Olympic Games, and of the host countries of recent and upcoming Olympic Games including Australia, China, France, Italy and the USA.

In his address, President Bach said: “The athletes are at the heart of the Olympic Movement. What better way to honour our ancient heritage and to manifest our faith in the future than through the presence of Olympians representing the National Olympic Committees of our Greek roots and the hosts of the immediate past and future Olympic Games and Olympic Winter Games. They symbolise the continuity of the Olympic Games — rooted in history and always advancing towards a brighter future. Milano, Cortina, and all our Italian friends are ready to welcome the best winter sport athletes of the planet with open arms, with the renowned Italian hospitality and with their love for sport.”

Awaiting athletes in Italy will be world-class competition conditions that will enable them to strive for Olympic titles and inspire the next generation of winter sports stars. Around 2,900 athletes from over 90 NOCs are expected to participate in the Games. The event will feature 13 competition venues, eight sports – with ski mountaineering making its Olympic Winter Games debut – 16 Olympic disciplines and 116 events (including 8 new ones) in total.

Global anticipation accelerates

While the athletes are already fully focused on qualifying for Milano Cortina 2026, President Bach also noted the growing enthusiasm in Italy for next year’s Games. He said: “The excitement is building and has already reached millions of people. Programmes like Italia dei Giochi, Gen26 and the Cultural Olympiad are spreading the Olympic values, promoting active lifestyles, and blending sport and culture all across Italy. The Torch Relay will bring the Olympic flame to every Italian province. The volunteer programme has attracted nearly four times as many applications as there are positions, reflecting the immense enthusiasm for these Olympic Winter Games. All of this and countless other initiatives demonstrate in a wonderful way that the legacy of Milano Cortina 2026 is taking shape long before the lighting of the Olympic flame.”

This increasing anticipation is also evident in ticket sales, with around 350,000 fans registering for the first, early bird phase, which opens today (6 February), with general sales opening later, in April.

Further excitement has been generated through recent test events, part of a comprehensive series of readiness activities to prepare the Organising Committee and local partners for the Games. So far, competitions in men’s and women’s Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and biathlon have been successfully held, with additional events in speed skating, figure skating and ski mountaineering scheduled in the coming weeks.

Games fit for the future

These readiness exercises are a key component of the Organising Committee’s preparations to deliver a unique edition of the Olympic Winter Games. Speaking about their efforts, President Bach said: “Milano Cortina 2026 will be the first Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to fully benefit from our Olympic Agenda reforms from start to finish. Together with all our Italian partners and friends – together with all of you – we are all looking forward to Olympic Winter Games that will pulsate with Italy’s passion for sport and highlight Italy’s unique culture and heritage.”

In this context, Milano Cortina 2026’s integration of Olympic Agenda 2020 and Olympic Agenda 2020+5 reforms, from candidature to delivery, will set new standards for future Olympic Winter Games. They will be the most gender-balanced Olympic Winter Games in history, with the IOC increasing the quota of places for female athletes to 47 per cent (up from 45.4 per cent at Beijing 2022). Additionally, the Games will make full use of Italy’s existing world-class venues, with 85 per cent of competition venues being either existing or temporary.

World-class venues

Joining President Bach in Milan were representatives from the host regions and territories, and the Italian government. These included: the Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala; the Mayor of Cortina d’Ampezzo, Gianluca Lorenzi; the President of the Lombardy Region, Attilio Fontana; the President of the Veneto Region, Luca Zaia; the President of the Autonomous Province of Trentino, Maurizio Fugatti; the President of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, Arno Kompatscher; the President of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) and of the Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee, Giovanni Malagò; Italy’s Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi; and Matteo Salvini, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Together, they expressed excitement about hosting the Olympic competitions in locations synonymous with winter sport.

“The competitions will take place in venues that are iconic and steeped in winter sports traditions. Most of them are already hosting world-class events year on year. Locations like Cortina, Livigno, Val di Fiemme, Bormio and Anterselva are synonymous with winter sport,” said President Bach. He continued: “Milano Cortina 2026 is taking these Olympic Winter Games to places where winter sports are a part of the local identity. This approach is very much in line with Olympic Agenda – making the most of existing state-of-the-art facilities.”

As the countdown to Milano Cortina 2026 continues, today’s celebrations serve as a powerful reminder of the enduring appeal of the Olympic Winter Games and the role they play in bringing the world together. As the final preparations are made to deliver an extraordinary celebration of sport, culture and unity, Italy is preparing to welcome the world back for the Olympic Winter Games for a third time, next year.

The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will take place from 6 to 22 February 2026, and the Paralympic Winter Games from 6 to 15 March.

The following NOC representatives were present at the invitation ceremony:

• Hellenic Olympic Committee (Greece): Olympic gold and silver medallist Dimosthenis Tampakos.
• Chinese Olympic Committee: Olympian Li Lingwei, NOC Vice President and IOC Executive Board Member, representing China as the host of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
• French National Olympic and Sports Committee: Olympic silver medallist Astrid Guyart, French NOC Secretary General, representing France as the host of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and future host of the Olympic Winter Games French Alps 2030.
• United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee: Olympian Catherine Raney Norman, representing the United States as the future host of the Olympic Games LA28 and Olympic Winter Games Salt Lake City-Utah 2034.
• Australian Olympic Committee: Olympians Tahli Gill and Dean Hewitt, representing Australia as the future host of the Olympic Games Brisbane 2032.
• Italian National Olympic Committee: Giovanni Malagò, Italian NOC President and Milano Cortina 2026 President; Federica Pellegrini, Olympic gold and silver medallist and IOC Member; and Amos Mosaner, Olympic gold medallist, representing Italy as the host of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

Source: IOC Press release