Top Five Storylines to Watch at the Milano Cortina Olympics

The 2026 Winter Olympics, set to take place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, promises to feature compelling narratives and rivalries. As the first dual-city hosts of the Winter Games, Milan and Cortina will be geographically spread across 250 miles, marking a historic milestone for the Olympics.

Top Five Storylines to Watch at the Milano Cortina Olympics

Stellar Athletes on Display

The NHL is pausing its season for the first time since 2014 to allow its players to compete in the Olympics. This brings together the world’s elite hockey talent, including Canadian stars like Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. Team Canada, fresh off a gold medal win in 2014, enters as a favorite.

Meanwhile, the U.S. team, bolstered by several Michigan natives, is eager for gold. After narrowly losing to Canada in an overtime thriller last year, Team USA aims to reclaim its Olympic glory since the historic 1980 “Miracle on Ice.”

Diverse Venue Locations

Milan and Cortina will host a total of 116 events across three Italian regions: Lombardia, Trentino, and Veneto. Cortina, which previously held the Winter Olympics in 1956, will host women’s alpine skiing, curling, and sliding sports, while Bormio and Livigno will hold men’s alpine events, along with snowboarding and freestyle skiing. Milan will be home to hockey, figure skating, and speed skating.

• Cortina: Women’s alpine skiing, curling, bobsled, luge, and skeleton.
• Bormio and Livigno: Men’s alpine skiing, snowboarding, and freestyle skiing.
• Milan: Hockey, figure skating, and speed skating.

Geopolitical Dynamics

The 2026 Olympics intersect with important geopolitical issues. Athletes from Russia and Belarus will compete as Individual Neutral Athletes due to ongoing conflicts related to the war in Ukraine. Notably, there will be no Russian hockey team, and only a limited number of Russian figure skaters will participate.

The U.S. and Canada are also navigating tensions, highlighting nationalist sentiments. This backdrop will add a layer of complexity to the athletic competition.

Entertainment Value

An expansive broadcasting deal ensures the Winter Games will be part of a larger entertainment package. NBC has secured exclusive rights, promising extensive coverage aimed at engaging a wide audience. The Olympics will occur alongside other major events like the Super Bowl and the NBA All-Star Game, bringing a unique blend of sports and entertainment to fans.

Historic Gender Representation

The Milano Cortina Games are set to achieve significant gender parity, with women representing a record 47% of participating athletes. This marks an increase from the previous Winter Olympics in Beijing. The U.S. Team will feature 115 women and 117 men, demonstrating a commitment to balanced representation.

The Opening Ceremony will celebrate this milestone, with speed skater Erin Jackson—who made history as the first Black woman to win an individual Olympic gold—serving as a flag bearer alongside bobsledder Frank Del Duca.

As the countdown to the Milano Cortina Olympics progresses, these five storylines promise to enhance the excitement leading up to one of the winter sports’ most prestigious events.