Milano Cortina 2026, French Alps 2030 and Salt Lake City–Utah 2034 outline a still very recognisable model of the Winter Olympic Games: mountain venues, outdoor ski slopes, resorts with decades of tradition and a calendar that, in theory, continues to depend on snow. But all this is taking place on a planet that has already temporarily surpassed the 1.5 ºC warming threshold compared to the pre-industrial era and that, based on current commitments, is heading towards between 2.3 and 2.5 ºC beyond the middle of the century, with high-impact scenarios that place the increase above 3 ºC if emissions are not drastically reduced.

The geography of the Games is itself adapting to this new context. Milano Cortina 2026 will spread its venues across a wide area between Milan and various Alpine zones in northern Italy, a model designed to reuse existing facilities but which also reflects the search for higher altitudes and more stable snow conditions. French Alps 2030 will take the event to the heart of the French Alps, relying on historic venues and presenting itself as a project aligned with the sustainability criteria of the Olympic movement.

The Alps, from Olympic cradle to warming barometer

The Alps have been the great stage of the Winter Olympic Games since Chamonix 1924 and will continue to be so in 2030, but their future is already marked by climate change. Will the 2030 edition be the last Winter Olympic Games in the Alps? Alpine snow cover has been steadily declining since the 1970s, with shorter seasons and increasingly reduced snow depth. In many parts of the mountain range, the ‘reliable’ snow line is shifting hundreds of metres upwards, putting both historic resorts and the surrounding ecosystem at risk.

Long-term projections are even more striking. If global warming continues at the current pace, a very significant share of Alpine snow could disappear before the end of the century. Even with artificial snow systems, more and more resorts will struggle to operate consistently, and Europe’s mountain regions will lose one of the elements that has defined their current sporting, economic and cultural identity.

The Olympic model at risk

This evolution affects not only winter tourism, but the very balance of the Olympic Games. Studies into the climate reliability of host venues show that the number of cities able to guarantee safe and fair conditions for snow sports is progressively declining. Many former Olympic hosts would no longer meet today the climatic requirements that were taken for granted just a few decades ago.

Salt Lake City–Utah 2034 is an example of this transition. The bid is based on existing venues and altitude as a protective factor against snow loss, with an approach focused on reuse and reduced impact from new construction. However, even these territories considered ‘safe’ are not immune to shorter winters, extreme events and greater climate variability.

More arenas, less mountain

In this context, part of the future of the Winter Olympic Games lies in arenas and similar venues. Ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating or curling do not depend on natural snow and can take place in controlled environments, albeit with high energy consumption. This opens the door to a programme more heavily focused on ice disciplines and to the inclusion of hybrid or urban formats that do not require large outdoor snow-covered areas.

On the table are sports which, while not Olympic, have sufficient international structure and winter tradition to aspire to that status. Bandy, a kind of ‘football on ice’ played by eleven players per team, has been recognised by the IOC for years and continues to claim its place. Ice climbing is gaining prominence on the international calendar and is viewed positively in an Alpine setting such as that of 2030. Around them emerge proposals such as winter triathlon, ski orienteering or alternative formats derived from existing Olympic disciplines, all conceived for a context with less natural snow and greater technological dependence.

Saudi Arabia and the challenge of winter in the desert

While traditional mountain regions rethink their model, Saudi Arabia emerges as an unexpected player. The 2029 Asian Winter Games will be held in Trojena, within the Neom project, a mountain resort designed to offer winter sports in the middle of a desert environment. High altitudes, artificial snow and major technical infrastructure underpin a bid that is interpreted as a testbed for future Winter Olympic Games.

How can ice and snow sports be held in one of the most extreme climates on the planet? Water consumption, the energy required to keep facilities operational and the coherence of this model at a time of climate emergency are all part of a debate that goes beyond sport. Saudi Arabia proposes a technological leap, while the rest of the world watches to see whether that leap is a solution for the future or a contradiction that will be difficult to sustain.

Olympic and global awareness…

Milano Cortina 2026, French Alps 2030 and Salt Lake City–Utah 2034 may not be the last Winter Olympic Games, but they may be among the last to resemble the Games as we have known them. The balance between tradition, sustainability, technology and climate will shape the coming decades. The question is no longer just where snow will still exist, but what winter will mean in the future of Olympism and to what extent sport will be able to adapt without losing its essence… And, most importantly, if the Winter Olympic Games are at risk, then life on the planet as we know it is too. Hopefully, the winter Olympic thermometer will serve to raise awareness among all nations to reduce emissions and delay this global warming that today seems inevitable.