IOC Final Report: Milano Cortina 2026 offers a new model for future Olympic Winter Games

Speaking at the IOC Session, the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission Chair for these Games, Kristin Kloster, said: “Milano Cortina 2026 demonstrated that a distributed model – spread across multiple regions, venues and communities – is not only viable, but can deliver a successful edition of the Olympic Winter Games.”

The report, shared at the 146th IOC Session in Lausanne, Switzerland, highlights key achievements and considerations for delivering future Olympic Winter Games. Its purpose is to inform planning and decision-making for future hosts.

A key finding highlighted in the report was the effective distribution of the Games across multiple clusters in northern Italy, using existing infrastructure, local expertise and regional identities, while creating a distinctive Olympic experience shaped by both Milan and the Alpine regions.

The Games also achieved significant global reach and engagement. Approximately 2.6 billion people followed Milano Cortina 2026 worldwide, while digital and social media engagement reached record levels, demonstrating the continued relevance and appeal of the Olympic Winter Games to audiences across multiple platforms.

This new approach enabled a more sustainable and resource-efficient delivery model, with 85 per cent of competition venues existing or temporary, which helped reduce environmental impact. In addition, nearly all competition venues were powered by renewable electricity, and more than 24,000 pieces of equipment from Paris 2024 were reused for these Games.

The report also details important legacy outcomes:

• The Games supported more than 36,000 jobs.
• They are expected to have generated over EUR 5 billion in net economic impact for Italy.
• Nearly 100 infrastructure projects were accelerated thanks to the Games, funded by more than EUR 3 billion in public investment.
• This was aligned with long-term territorial priorities, helping to strengthen the resilience of Alpine communities.
• Some 47 sports facilities and 51 transport infrastructure projects were initiated, alongside more than 315 initiatives focused on health, inclusion and community development.
• More than two million young people participated in Gen26 education programme initiatives.

From a sporting perspective, the report highlights significant advances in gender balance and Olympic programme innovation, alongside record-breaking performances on the field of play:

• Women represented 47 per cent of the athletes – the highest proportion in Olympic Winter Games history.
• A record 50 women’s events took place, 58 men’s events, and eight mixed events.
• Ski mountaineering made its Olympic debut, the first new Winter Olympic sport in more than 25 years.
• One world and 13 Olympic sporting records were broken.

Despite the complexity of a multi-regional approach, close coordination across the Olympic Movement, including International Federations, National Olympic Committees, Media Rights-Holders and IOC Worldwide Olympic Partners, plus the engagement of various levels of government and public authorities, enabled challenges to be addressed effectively in the lead-up to and during the Games.

Milano Cortina 2026 now stands as a reference point for future Olympic Winter Games, including Alpes 2030, demonstrating a model that is flexible, more sustainable and closely aligned with local realities. It confirms that a distributed model can deliver sporting excellence and lasting positive impact, while creating a Games edition shaped by the diversity of its host regions and united through the power of sport.