Road to Milano Cortina 2026 gets into full swing with exciting test event programme

09 December 2024 – On 6 December, the Milano Cortina 2026 organisers announced a full calendar of test events for the upcoming winter season, which will be used to test venues and operational readiness for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games taking place in just over a year’s time.

The “Road to Milano Cortina 2026” will get into full swing later this month, with many snow and ice events throughout the winter that will let fans around the world get a taste of the “new Italian spirit”, reflected in the host region’s rich culture, history and warm hospitality.

As at Games time, many of these test events will be overseen by organisations that regularly deliver world-class winter sports events in Italy. The events will serve as a platform for the Organising Committee and its delivery partners to put their plans for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games into practice, and then make any necessary adjustments.

As part of a wider calendar of operational readiness activities planned by Milano Cortina 2026, the first wave of test events will consist of international and national competitions held in Games-time venues, and will benefit not only from the beautiful backdrops of Milan and the Italian Alps, but also from the passionate local fanbase who will come out to cheer on the athletes.

These events will give organisers important opportunities to simulate some of the conditions and rehearse their processes ahead of Milano Cortina 2026, when more than 3,500 athletes will arrive in Italy dreaming of winning an Olympic or Paralympic medal.

First test event in Bormio

The packed calendar of events will open on 28 and 29 December with the FIS Men’s Alpine Skiing World Cup, staged on the legendary Stelvio slope in Bormio.

The first event of 2025 will be cross-country skiing, specifically the closing days of the Tour de Ski, scheduled from 3 to 5 January on the slopes of Val di Fiemme. Then it will be the turn of Cortina, which on 18 and 19 January will welcome the FIS Women’s Alpine Skiing World Cup on another iconic track, the Olympia delle Tofane.

Then, from 23 to 26 January, it will be Anterselva’s time to shine during the IBU Biathlon World Cup.

Paralympic test events in Val di Fiemme

At the end of January, Val di Fiemme will host the Para Biathlon World Cup, followed on 1 and 2 February by the Paralympic Cross-Country Skiing circuit, a four-day event that will see athletes test the same slopes that just over a year later will host the Paralympic competitions.

Short track comes to Milano

For the ice sports, the Milano Ice Skating Arena is preparing to welcome the stars of short track speed skating for the final stage of the ISU Short Track World Tour from 14 to 16 February, which will also crown this season’s champions. Then on 19 and 20 February, the same arena will host an international figure skating competition, the “Road to 26” Trophy.

Bormio will be back in the spotlight on 22 and 23 February with the ISMF Ski Mountaineering World Cup – the sport that will make its debut on the Olympic programme at Milano Cortina 2026 – while Livigno will welcome the world’s best freeskiers for the FIS Aerials and Moguls World Cup from 8 to 14 March. This will round off the first wave of test events, with many other events set to take place the following winter in the lead-up to the Games.

Registration for Milano Cortina 2026 early access tickets open now until 15 January

With just over a year to go, the world is gearing up for an unforgettable celebration of sport, culture and breathtaking scenery, as the world’s best athletes take to the snow and ice for exhilarating competition against the stunning backdrop of the Italian Alps and the iconic style capital of Milan.

Fans around the world are invited to experience up close all the thrilling live sport and world-renowned Italian hospitality and culture, with the opportunity to secure the tickets they most want by registering by 15 January 2025 at tickets.milanocortina2026.org for the early access ticket draw (which begins on 6 February).

Those who have not registered by 15 January will have the opportunity to purchase tickets from 6 April.

The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will take place from 6 to 22 February 2026, and the Paralympic Winter Games from 6 to 15 March.

Ensuring authenticity and security

To ensure authenticity and safety, tickets and hospitality packages are exclusively available via the official Milano Cortina 2026 channels. By buying tickets or hospitality packages outside official sources, buyers run the risk that tickets or packages will not be delivered or will be cancelled by the Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee in line with the terms and conditions.  

In recognition of Visa’s longstanding partnership with the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Visa is the Official Way to Pay.