MILAN — The 2026 Winter Olympics are set to transform Northern Italy into a global sporting stage. Spanning 15 venues across eight territories—Anterselva, Bormio, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Livigno, Milan, Predazzo, Tesero, and Verona—the Games combine ancient history with futuristic architecture.
The Urban Heart: Milan
The “Temple of Football,” San Siro, will host the Opening Ceremony, marking its centenary by welcoming 77,000 spectators. Meanwhile, the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena stands as the architectural flagship, a 14,000-seat multi-purpose facility designed specifically for this event.
Editorial Perspectives
Other Milanese venues include:
- Ice Skating Arena (Unipol Forum): Host to Figure Skating and Short Track with a capacity of 11,500.
- Speed Skating Stadium (Fieramilano Rho): A sustainable, temporary transformation of the 2015 Expo halls.
- Rho Ice Hockey Arena: A high-intensity venue specialized for the Games’ most anticipated hockey matches.
The Dolomites and Alpine Peaks
In the high altitudes, the Biathlon Arena in Antholz-Anterselva holds the record for the highest spectator capacity at 19,000. Bormio’s Stelvio Ski Centre will be the site of history as Ski Mountaineering makes its Olympic debut.
Further key sites include:
- Sliding Centre (Cortina): A state-of-the-art facility for Bobsleigh, Skeleton, and Luge.
- Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina): A 1956 legacy venue hosting Curling and the Paralympic Closing Ceremony.
- Aerials & Moguls Park (Livigno): Featuring 120km of tracks and jumps reaching heights of 12 meters.
- Olympic Arena (Verona): An ancient Roman amphitheater that will host the Closing Ceremony.
