Newsletters
The 2026 Winter Olympics officially open on Feb. 6 in Milan, but the competition has already started in Italy.
Mixed doubles curling matches began on Feb. 4 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, which also hosted the 1956 Winter Games.
The opening ceremony will take place at San Siro Stadium in Milan at 10 p.m. local time.
Additional ceremonies will be held in Predazzo, Livigno and Cortina. Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini, Lang Lang and Cecilia Bartoli are expected to perform. For the first time, the Olympic flame will be lit in both Milan and Cortina.
The Games will run until Feb. 22. A total of 2,871 athletes from 90 national Olympic committees will compete in 16 Olympic disciplines for 116 medals.
Organizers say 47 percent of the athletes are women. Ski mountaineering makes its Olympic debut, while skeleton mixed team and women’s doubles luge join the program as new events.
Viewers in Türkiye can follow the Games live on TRT Spor Yildiz free of charge.
Broadcasts will also continue on EuroSport and HBO.
Events will take place across multiple venues, including the Anterselva Biathlon Arena, Cortina Sliding Centre, Livigno Aerials and Moguls Park, Milano Ice Park, Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium and Verona Olympic Arena.
Security measures have been tightened across host cities. More than 6,000 security personnel will be on duty, including 1,928 soldiers and 2,000 gendarmes. The Italian army will deploy 170 vehicles along with radar systems, aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Debate has also emerged over reports about the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel.
Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said ICE “does not and will not carry out operational police activities on our national territory,” stressing that public order remains under Italian authority. The overall budget has reached €5.2 billion, drawing criticism over costs and sustainability.
Türkiye will compete with nine athletes in Milan–Cortina 2026.
The delegation includes two athletes in figure skating, six in skiing disciplines and one in para-alpine skiing.
In short track speed skating, Furkan Akar and Denis Ors will represent Türkiye. The country secured two quotas in this discipline for the first time in Winter Olympics history.
In cross country skiing, Irem Dursun will compete in the women’s category and Abdullah Yilmaz in the men’s. In alpine skiing, Ada Hasirci and Thomas Kaan Onol Lang will race.
In ski jumping, Fatih Arda Ipcioglu and Muhammed Ali Bedir qualified for the Games, marking the first time Türkiye will compete with two ski jumpers at a Winter Olympics.
Muhammed Ali Bedir, who missed the 2022 Beijing Olympics due to illness, said he trained for four years with a focus on these Games. “We are among the best 50 athletes in the world right now,” he said, adding that he hopes to finish in the top 10 in the Super Team event with Ipcioglu.
In para alpine skiing, Harun Mut will compete under the Turkish flag.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
2 min read
