Why Are Two Different Cities Hosting the Olympics for the First Time?

For the first time in history, the Olympics are officially being hosted by two cities. The upcoming 2026 Winter Games will take place in both Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, from Friday, Feb. 6-Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.

In just days, viewers around the world will see winter sports icons like Lindsey Vonn, Chloe Kim and Sidney Crosby show off their skills. The 116 medal events in the two Italian cities will include skiing, snowboarding, figure skating, bobsledding, ski jumping, hockey and curling.

While previous Games—both summer and winter—have always taken a one-city approach, the organizers decided to try something new by spreading things out. However, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry has admitted it’s unclear how the bold Italian experiment will work out!

Read on to find out more on why the Winter Olympics are being held in two cities, how the games will look and what the challenges have been.

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How did Milan and Cortina both get the Winter Games?

The two northern Italian cities made a joint bid and were awarded the Olympics by the IOC on June 24, 2019, beating out another joint bid made by Stockholm and Åre, Sweden.

Metropolitan Milan, Italy’s second largest city—famed as one of the world’s fashion capitals—will mostly host indoor ice events such as figure skating and hockey, while mountainous Cortina welcomes snow and sliding sports like Alpine skiing. The beautiful resort town of Cortina previously hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics. Italy last hosted the Winter Games in 2006 in Torino. 2026 marks the milestone 25th Winter Olympics.

Related: Icy Twists! USA Figure Skating Reveals 2026 Olympic Rosters for Milan-Cortina

While sports fans are looking forward to the events, it remains to be seen if the unique city and mountain town blend will gel!

Why is it called Milano Cortina?

That’s because the 2026 Winter Olympics will call both Milano and Cortina home. It’s the first time in Olympic history that two cities officially are assuming host duties. The 2026 Games are officially known as Milano Cortina, using the Italian spelling for Milan. However, the English spelling of Milan will mostly be used in NBC’s American broadcast of the Olympics as Milan Cortina. While the full name of the town of Cortina is Cortina d’Ampezzo, it is often abbreviated to just Cortina—and its shortened name for the Olympics obviously allows for easier international marketing.

Why were two host cities chosen?

It’s cheaper and more eco-friendly. The IOC is working towards sustainability and decided to spread out the Games’ footprint in Italy by using mostly pre-existing venues. It puts less of a financial burden on the hosts.

Andrea Varnier—CEO of the Milan-Cortina organizing committee—told NBC News that 11 of the 13 venues being used for competition are either temporary or existing structures that received a facelift. Only two new competition venues had to be constructed and Italy plans to use them after the Olympics.

What’s the biggest problem of running a two-city Olympics?

It’s a huge logistical challenge. Milan and Cortina are separated by more than 250 miles—which is about a five-hour drive!

Varnier admitted it’s “a very interesting experiment that we’re doing.”

For example, Varnier told NBC News that at the opening ceremony, there will be a simultaneous cauldron lighting many miles apart: One cauldron will be lit in Milan’s Arco della Pace, while the other will be in Cortina’s Piazza Angelo Dibona. The opening ceremony will also feature multiple s so that all of the athletes can enjoy the fun, regardless of which city they are based in.

What has the IOC President said about the situation?

IOC President Kirsty Coventry noted, “I do believe that we took the right decision in having a more dispersed Games, but it has—and I think we can all say very openly and honestly— added additional complexities.”

She explained, “I think initially we all thought, ‘Oh well, we’ll just have it be a little bit more dispersed because that’s more sustainable.’ Yes, that is very true, but it has added additional complexities in the delivery of the Games.”

That includes the Olympics’ broadcasting teams having to be spread out and not being able to multitask.

Although Milan-Cortina organizers have worked hard for cohesion, it’s also fair to wonder if athlete camaraderie could be undermined by the two-city plan.

Did Milan suffer a scandal before the 2026 Winter Olympics?

Yes. According to AP News, as of July 2025, the Milan Prosecutor’s Office was investigating alleged corruption in public works tenders, including the Olympic Village which will host athletes and officials.

It’s been reported that authorities are looking into possible offenses involving corruption, forgery and abuse of public office, with 74 individuals under scrutiny—including Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala who is accused of hiding a conflict of interest.

However, Mayor Sala refused to resign and denied wrongdoing, saying, “My hands are clean.” Sala has been heavily involved in the Winter Olympics and will attend the opening ceremony.

Related: Andrea Bocelli Set to Headline 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony

What setbacks has Cortina gone through?

Cortina Mayor Gianluca Lorenzi recently spoke with The Athletic about the problems and pressures of co-hosting the Games, stating that the city has faced “very challenging” logistics.

The city was shaken in January when Pietro Zantonini—a security guard at a construction site near an Olympic venue in Cortina—died during a freezing overnight shift. Andrea Varnier—CEO of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Foundation—addressed the tragedy, clarifying that the specific site was not overseen by Simico (the governmental infrastructure company) but was under the Foundation’s management. “The information we have is that it was a death by natural cause, it was a heart attack,” he said, before confirming that an investigation was underway.

Lorenzi—a former curling athlete—shared his condolences. “I sympathize with the family regarding their loss, because it is truly a tragedy,” he said.

Mayor Lorenzi also revealed that he has received death threats over the controversial construction of the sliding track that will host the Olympic bobsled, luge and skeleton competitions. “It was not at all pleasant,” he told The Athletic. “Unfortunately, we then had to put security measures in place at my home and for my family … but of course, a death threat does not make me back down from my thoughts and idea of moving forward.”

Lorenzi insisted that the track project will be invaluable to the city of Cortina.

Will the Olympics ever be hosted by two cities again?

The IOC plans to see how the new format pans out and will evaluate the model after the Winter Olympics conclude, President Coventry has indicated.

Up Next, 17 Athletes to Watch at the 2026 Winter Olympics—Including Lindsey Vonn’s Historic Return