On 6 February, the XXV Olympic Winter Games will officially open in Italy, with Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo as the main stages. With 100 days to go until the Opening Ceremony, the organisers are focused on completing the final works, refining operations, and delivering a sustainability plan set to redefine the management of major sporting events.
Local authorities and the Organising Committee highlight that the multi-venue model, spread across Milan, Cortina, Valtellina and Val di Fiemme, will help optimise resources and leave a lasting legacy in transport and tourism. Andrea Varnier, Chief Executive Officer of the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, recently stated that “the Games will be ready on time and will stand as an example of cooperation between territories”.
Venues entering their final stage
In Cortina d’Ampezzo, the new Sliding Centre has passed its pre-homologation phase following athlete and technical tests earlier this year. The venue’s completion is expected in the coming weeks, while the International Olympic Committee – IOC – maintains a contingency plan in case of delays. In Livigno, the freestyle and snowboard complex was the first facility to be completed and has already hosted pre-Olympic events, confirming full operational readiness.
In Milan, the PalaItalia Santa Giulia, future home of Olympic ice hockey, is progressing under a tight schedule, with the main structure finished and ice testing due by late November. Meanwhile, the Fiera Milano Rho halls are being converted to temporarily host speed skating and preliminary hockey events. The Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 reaffirmed that “there is no room for error in the timeline, but strong confidence in the teamwork with institutions”.
Ceremonies and territorial legacy
The Opening Ceremony will take place at San Siro Stadium, while the Closing Ceremony will be held at the Arena di Verona. Both venues will serve as symbols of an event that spreads competition between urban and alpine regions, aiming to strengthen the sporting and tourism fabric of northern Italy. Local federations expect this distribution to encourage winter sports participation well beyond 2026.
The decentralised venue model requires extensive coordination and logistics between regions. According to the organisers, all athlete, staff and media travel will rely on public transport and dedicated rail connections linking the main clusters.
An agreement with Ferrovie dello Stato ensures fast rail connections between Milan, Cortina and Valtellina. Additionally, Leonardo will provide critical communication systems for alpine operations. The mobility strategy features a network of electric shuttles and a digital flow-management system, developed in partnership with an IOC technology collaborator, to reduce the carbon footprint of travel.
Hybrid and sustainable plan
The commercial programme already includes over fifty partnerships, led by companies such as Eni, Leonardo and TechnoAlpin, alongside the IOC’s global partners. Sponsorship revenues exceed 450 million euros, with projections to reach 575 million before the Games begin. A recent deal with Uber will introduce an intelligent mobility network for spectators and volunteers.
The sustainability plan confirms that 92 percent of the venues will be existing or temporary facilities, under a hybrid model aligned with the IOC Agenda 2020+5. The NOW26 project integrates measures for energy efficiency, recycled materials in the Olympic torch, and emission compensation across transport and operations. The organisers insist that “these principles are not an addition, but the foundation of our way of working”.
Innovation will also shape the digital spectator experience, environmental monitoring in alpine zones and circular food-waste management. With these advances, Milano Cortina 2026 is shaping up as a Winter Games defined by sustainable legacy and institutional strengthening of Olympic sport in Italy.
