Challenges Ahead for 2026 Winter Olympics

The 2026 Winter Olympics are coming back to Europe, with events set to take place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. However, organizers are facing some tough challenges as they rush to prepare.

With ticket sales opening soon, there is worry about whether one of the key venues—the sliding center in Cortina—will be completed in time. The change in venue could force European buyers to fly to New York if the sliding events are moved to Lake Placid.

Andrea Varnier, the CEO of the local organizing committee, is optimistic despite the tight timeline. They are racing against the clock to have everything ready, but there are existing backup options in Austria and Switzerland just in case.

The Italian government has committed to spending around $88 million to rebuild the sliding track in Cortina, despite pressure from the International Olympic Committee to use other locations. The construction is happening with less than two years before the games, an unprecedented timeframe.

Current plans indicate that test events for the sliding and hockey sports will be held just months ahead of the opening of the games, which definitely isn’t ideal. Safety is the priority, but it does put a lot of pressure on everyone involved.

Fans will have to travel across a large area to attend events in multiple locations—including Bormio for skiing and Livigno for snowboarding. Organizers are working to improve public transport so fans can easily get around.

Eager to maintain the excitement of the Olympics, Varnier and his team are already thinking about how to create that Olympic atmosphere in a spread-out setting. With a stunning backdrop of the Dolomites and the Alps, they’re hopeful that the natural beauty will add to the experience.