Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics: Guide to Aussie Athletes and Viewing
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games are set to begin on February 6, 2026, in northern Italy. Australians will enjoy early morning coverage of the opening ceremony. This edition marks a significant participation, as 53 athletes will represent Australia across 14 different sports, including a record 62.3% female representation. Notably, a world-ranked number one teenager is among the strong contenders for medals.
Key Dates and Host Locations
The Winter Games will run from February 6 to 22, 2026, featuring around 2,900 athletes competing from 93 different countries. The events will take place across three regions in northern Italy: Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, and Veneto. This makes it the most geographically extensive Winter Olympics to date. Milan and Cortina, the poster cities, are situated over 400 km apart.
Sports Program Overview
The Milano Cortina Games will feature a total of 16 sports, including:
- Alpine skiing
- Biathlon
- Bobsleigh
- Cross Country Skiing
- Figure Skating
- Freeski (various disciplines)
- Luge
- Mogul Skiing
- Short Track Speed Skating
- Skeleton
- Ski Mountaineering (debuting this year)
- Snowboarding (various disciplines)
Aussie Athletes to Watch
This Winter Olympics will see 30 Australian athletes making their Olympic debuts, including 16-year-old Indra Brown. Competing in the freeski halfpipe, she is currently the world’s top-ranked female freeskier and the youngest Australian to win a World Cup medal. Brown won the Calgary Halfpipe World Cup earlier this year and aims to deliver a strong performance despite the pressure of her first Olympics.
Other notable athletes include:
- Valentino Guseli – Competing in snowboard halfpipe, he aims to build on his experience from the 2022 Beijing Games.
- Adam Lambert – A three-time Olympian and world number one in snowboard cross, he enters the Games on a high following recent World Cup victories.
- Jakara Anthony – The only gold medallist from the Australian team at the last Winter Games, she aims for consecutive golds.
- Matthew Graham – A silver medallist from PyeongChang, he is likely competing in his last Winter Olympics.
- Tess Coady – The youngest Winter Olympics medallist from Australia, she is considered a rising star in the slopestyle and big air events.
Australia’s Winter Olympic History
Australia first participated in the Winter Olympics in 1936. After several unspectacular outings, the nation secured its first medal in 1994. Since then, Australia has won 19 Winter Olympic medals: six gold, seven silver, and six bronze. The most famous victory came from Steven Bradbury in 2002 when he secured gold in the 1,000m short track after all other competitors fell in the final stretch.
Viewing Options for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics
Australians can catch the Games on the Nine Network, its streaming service Nine Now, or via Stan Sport. The opening ceremony kicks off at 8 pm local time, which translates to 6 am AEDT, on February 6, 2026. The closing ceremony will take place on February 22, 2026.
Stay tuned to Filmogaz.com for updates and in-depth coverage of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
