Milano–Cortina 2026 will be a global event, bringing to Italy 3,500 athletes from over 90 countries, competing in 304 events, with an estimated worldwide audience of three billion people. Today’s opening ceremony in Italy will also be attended by around 50 Heads of State and Government from across the world.
Milano–Cortina 2026 will not be solely about sport; above all, it will represent development, innovation and a forward-looking vision. With an estimated economic impact of EUR 5.3 billion, the Olympic Winter Games will leave a lasting legacy in terms of infrastructure and territorial development. They will also serve as a powerful instrument of soft power, delivering a durable strengthening of Italy’s international positioning.
For the first time in history, the Olympic Winter Games will be “diffuse”: two emblematic cities—Milan and Cortina—and an entire system of territories—Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige—united by a sustainable and inclusive vision. This constitutes a first, clear political signal.
The Winter Games generate effects that extend well beyond the sporting dimension, influencing infrastructure, territorial development, industrial value chains and the international standing of Italy.
The organisational framework of the Olympic Winter Games foresees the involvement of approximately 18,000 volunteers, alongside a dedicated diplomatic task force bringing together young officials, institutions and local communities. This commitment confirms Italy’s capacity to successfully host events of global scale, as demonstrated most recently by the Jubilee.
AN INTEGRATED STRATEGY
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has accompanied the arrival of the Olympic Winter Games with an integrated strategy, launched two years ago with the establishment of the Office for Sports Diplomacy and developed through an international roadshow across Europe, North America and Asia, involving athletes, media and businesses.
The strategy has pursued a twofold objective: to promote the territories and communities involved and to strengthen Italy’s image as an innovative, sustainable and welcoming country. The Olympic Winter Games have featured prominently in numerous initiatives, including Expo Osaka 2025, international Business Forums and the Italian Sport Day around the world.
For these reasons, Italy has chosen to invest decisively in sports diplomacy, making it a structural component of its foreign policy action. The Olympic Games embody values such as fair and peaceful competition among young people from across the world and have always stood as universal symbols of peace, respect and inclusion. In an international context marked by conflict, sport remains a credible space for dialogue. The Olympic Games were born in the name of peace.
Italy has reaffirmed this commitment by facilitating the adoption of the United Nations Resolution on the Olympic Truce, supported by the Holy Father and the President of the Republic—an appeal for sport to contribute to silencing the weapons.
In the past year alone, more than 233,000 people have been killed by armed violence, resulting in over 123 million displaced persons worldwide. Italy continues to play a leading diplomatic and humanitarian role, working for peace in Ukraine and Gaza, while also addressing less visible conflicts, such as in Sudan, where millions have been forced to flee. Through humanitarian initiatives such as Food for Gaza and Italy for Sudan, Italy remains at the forefront of efforts to protect civilian populations, particularly children, who are among the most affected by the consequences of war.
A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
Milano–Cortina 2026 therefore represents a unique opportunity to reaffirm Italy’s identity and core values. Through these Olympic Winter Games, Italy seeks to address the world as a builder of peace, growth and international cooperation. The “Games of Peace” will be a shared commitment, embraced collectively.
