The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are more than a global sporting event. They’re a moment where tradition, technology, and elite performance collide on one of the world’s most iconic stages. From February 6 to February 22, 2026, Italy will host athletes from over 90 countries across historic cities and breathtaking mountain venues.
Here’s the interesting part. These Games mark a turning point for the Olympics themselves. Milano Cortina 2026 is the first Winter Olympics officially co-hosted by two cities, and it’s designed around sustainability, digital innovation, and athlete-first competition formats. For fans, that means faster access to schedules, smarter viewing experiences, and clearer storytelling across platforms like Google Search and Google AI Mode.
You might be wondering what actually happens during the Games. Which sports run first? Which events matter most? And who are the athletes everyone will be talking about? This guide breaks down the Winter Olympics 2026 schedule, key competitions, debut sports, venues, and standout athletes—step by step—so you know exactly what to watch, when it happens, and why it matters.
Whether you’re following figure skating in Milan, cross-country skiing in Val di Fiemme, or the historic debut of ski mountaineering, this article is built to give you clear answers, real context, and practical insights—without the noise.
This timeline highlights major competitions
sport starts, and finals, not every heat or qualification. It’s structured so readers and answer engines can quickly understand what happens each day.
February 6, 2026 (Friday) Opening Day
Key moments:
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Official start of the Olympic Games
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The first figure skating competitions began before the Opening Ceremony
Major events:
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Figure Skating – Team Event
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Ice Dance Rhythm Dance
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Pairs Short Program
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Women’s Short Program
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Curling – Mixed Doubles (ongoing round-robin)
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Ice Hockey – Preliminary matches
Ceremony:
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Opening Ceremony at San Siro Stadium, Milan (8:00 PM CET)
You might be surprised: Olympic competition often starts before the ceremony. This day is a perfect example.
February 7, 2026 (Saturday) – First Full Medal Day
Why this day matters:
This is the first full day of medal competition after the Opening Ceremony.
Major events:
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Cross-Country Skiing
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Women’s 20km Skiathlon
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Figure Skating – Team Event continues
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Men’s Short Program
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Speed Skating – Early long-distance events
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Alpine Skiing – Initial downhill competitions
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Snowboarding – Big Air finals begin
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Curling – Mixed Doubles round-robin
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Ice Hockey – Women’s and men’s preliminaries
Key takeaway:
Endurance sports and team events dominate the early schedule.
February 8, 2026 (Sunday)
High-profile competitions:
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Cross-Country Skiing
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Men’s 20km Skiathlon
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Figure Skating – Team Event Finals
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Alpine Skiing – Women’s Downhill
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Biathlon – Mixed Relay
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Speed Skating – Men’s 5000m
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Luge – Men’s Singles (final runs)
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Snowboarding – Parallel events
This is one of the most action-packed days of the first week.
February 9, 2026 (Monday)
Major events:
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Figure Skating
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Ice Dance Rhythm Dance (Individual competition begins)
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Snowboarding
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Women’s Big Air Final
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Freestyle Skiing
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Women’s Slopestyle Final
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Alpine Skiing
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Men’s Team Combined
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Speed Skating
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Women’s 1000m
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Curling – Mixed Doubles Semifinals
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Ice Hockey – Preliminary group play continues
This day blends technical skill sports with high-speed finals.
February 10, 2026 (Tuesday)
Key competitions:
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Figure Skating
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Men’s Singles Short Program
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Cross-Country Skiing
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Individual Classic Sprint (Women & Men)
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Biathlon
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Men’s 20km Individual
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Alpine Skiing
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Women’s Team Combined
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Ski Jumping
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Mixed Team Normal Hill
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Short Track Speed Skating
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Women’s 500m
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Men’s 1500m
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Here’s the interesting part:
This is one of the most technically demanding days across multiple sports.
February 11, 2026 (Wednesday)
Major events:
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Figure Skating
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Ice Dance Free Dance (medal event)
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Snowboarding
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Halfpipe qualifications
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Nordic Combined – early competitions
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Curling – Team events begin
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Ice Hockey – Men’s preliminary round starts
Mid-week momentum begins to build here.
February 12, 2026 (Thursday)
Key competitions:
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Cross-Country Skiing
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Women’s 10km Freestyle Interval Start
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Snowboarding
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Women’s Halfpipe Final
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Freestyle Skiing
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Moguls and aerials events
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Biathlon
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Women’s Individual races
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Speed Skating
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Middle-distance finals
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This day heavily favors precision and pacing.
February 13, 2026 (Friday)
Major events:
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Figure Skating
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Men’s Singles Free Skating (medal event)
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Cross-Country Skiing
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Men’s 10km Freestyle Interval Start
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Alpine Skiing
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Men’s Downhill
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Skeleton – Final runs
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Curling – Round-robin play continues
One of the most-watched figure skating days of the Games.
February 14, 2026 (Saturday)
Key competitions:
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Cross-Country Skiing
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Women’s 4 × 7.5km Relay
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Biathlon
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Relay events
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Snowboarding – Finals continue
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Freestyle Skiing – Finals
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Ice Hockey – Group standings solidify
Team strategy becomes more important here.
February 15, 2026 (Sunday)
Major events:
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Figure Skating
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Pairs Short Program
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Cross-Country Skiing
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Men’s 4 × 7.5km Relay
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Alpine Skiing – Technical events
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Luge – Doubles competitions
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Ice Hockey – Qualification matches
This day blends team endurance with technical pair coordination.
February 16, 2026 (Monday)
Key competitions:
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Figure Skating
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Pairs Free Skating (medal event)
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Freestyle Skiing – Finals
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Snowboarding – Finals
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Biathlon – Sprint events
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Curling – Semifinals approach
The Games enter their decisive phase.
February 17, 2026 (Tuesday)
Major events:
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Figure Skating
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Women’s Singles Short Program
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Alpine Skiing – Slalom events
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Nordic Combined – medal events
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Speed Skating – Sprint finals
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Ice Hockey – Quarterfinals begin
Pressure rises across nearly every sport.
February 18, 2026 (Wednesday)
Key competitions:
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Cross-Country Skiing
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Team Freestyle Sprint (Women & Men)
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Biathlon – Mixed events
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Snowboarding – Final medal rounds
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Curling – Semifinals
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Ice Hockey – Quarterfinals
Short, explosive events dominate the schedule.
February 19, 2026 (Thursday)
Major events:
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Figure Skating
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Women’s Singles Free Skating (medal event)
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Alpine Skiing – Combined finals
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Speed Skating – Long-distance finals
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Luge – Team relay
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Ice Hockey – Semifinals
One of the most emotionally charged days of the Games.
February 20, 2026 (Friday)
Key competitions:
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Ski Mountaineering – Finals
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Freestyle Skiing – Final events
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Curling – Bronze medal matches
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Ice Hockey – Bronze medal games
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Bobsleigh – Final runs
Attention shifts toward endurance and teamwork.
February 21, 2026 (Saturday)
Major events:
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Cross-Country Skiing
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Men’s 50km Classic Mass Start
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Figure Skating
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Exhibition Gala
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Curling – Gold medal matches
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Bobsleigh – Finals
This is traditionally one of the most physically demanding days.
February 22, 2026 (Sunday) – Final Day
Final competitions:
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Cross-Country Skiing
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Women’s 50km Classic Mass Start
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Ice Hockey
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Men’s Gold Medal Game
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Final bobsleigh and team events
Closing Ceremony:
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Venue: Arena di Verona
The Games officially conclude after the final medal events.
Milano Cortina 2026 runs from February 6–22, 2026, with major competitions beginning immediately and finals concentrated in the last five days.
Endurance sports, figure skating, and ice hockey anchor the Olympic schedule.
