The 2026 Winter Olympics, officially the XXV Olympic Winter Games, are set to take place from 6 to 22 February 2026 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, with events spread across multiple venues in northern Italy. This edition marks the first time the Winter Games are formally co-hosted by two cities, blending Milan’s urban infrastructure with the alpine tradition of Cortina and several cluster sites including Bormio and Livigno.
The Olympic Games were originally established in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to promote international peace and understanding through sport, reviving ancient Greek traditions of athletic competition and fellowship. From the first Winter Games in Chamonix in 1924, which featured just a handful of events and a few nations, the movement has expanded dramatically to include thousands of athletes and nearly 90 countries in the 2026 programme.
The 2026 Winter Olympics will feature 116 medal events across 16 disciplines, including alpine skiing, biathlon, ice hockey, bobsleigh, and ski mountaineering, the latter making its Olympic debut. Over 3,000 athletes from more than 90 nations are expected to compete in the 19-day festival of winter sport.
India’s Participation
India will be represented at the Milan-Cortina Games with competitors in two sports: alpine skiing and cross-country skiing, with two athletes listed on its official team roster. Alpine skier Arif Khan, who qualified in the slalom event, is expected to be one of India’s competitors, continuing his presence on the Winter Olympic stage after competing in the 2022 Beijing Games. Cross-country skiing representation is slated for Stanzin Lundup under India’s quota allocation.
However, India’s final delegation remains subject to administrative decisions, with some selection disputes being contested in the Delhi High Court. This legal matter could affect the confirmation of the second athlete’s participation ahead of the Games.
India has participated intermittently in the Winter Olympics since 1964 but has not yet won a Winter Olympic medal, reflecting the nascent stage of winter sport development in the country.
