2026 Winter Olympics: Final Results, Medal Table & Everything That Happened in Milano Cortina
Past-tense recap of Milano Cortina 2026 — final medals, venues, debut sports, and what comes next.
In short
The 2026 Winter Olympics concluded in Milano Cortina, Italy with Norway topping the medal table. Full results, venues, new events, and every key moment from the Games.
Cite this page: https://www.whatiswiki.com/what-is-2026-winter-olympics
Introduction
Quick answer: The 2026 Winter Olympics, officially the XXV Olympic Winter Games, were held in Milano and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, from February 6 to 22, 2026. Over 3,500 athletes from 93 countries competed for 195 medals across 16 sports at 15 venues. Norway topped the final medal table with 18 gold and 41 total medals, ahead of the United States (33 total) and the Netherlands (20 total). Host nation Italy had its best-ever Winter Olympics, finishing fourth overall with 30 medals, including 10 golds. Ski mountaineering made its Olympic debut.
This page replaces a prior version written in future tense as if the Games had not yet occurred. The 2026 Winter Olympics took place February 6–22, 2026; this rewrite uses past tense with verified final results.
Final medal table (top 15)
| Rank | Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norway | 18 | 12 | 11 | 41 |
| 2 | United States | 12 | 12 | 9 | 33 |
| 3 | Netherlands | 10 | 7 | 3 | 20 |
| 4 | Italy (host) | 10 | 6 | 14 | 30 |
| 5 | Germany | 8 | 10 | 8 | 26 |
| 6 | France | 8 | 9 | 6 | 23 |
| 7 | Sweden | 8 | 6 | 4 | 18 |
| 8 | Switzerland | 6 | 9 | 8 | 23 |
| 9 | Austria | 5 | 8 | 5 | 18 |
| 10 | Japan | 5 | 7 | 12 | 24 |
| 11 | Canada | 5 | 7 | 9 | 21 |
| 12 | China | 5 | 4 | 6 | 15 |
| 13 | South Korea | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 |
| 14 | Australia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 15 | Great Britain | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
Norway's 41 total medals and 18 golds made it the standout performer of the Games, extending its status as the most successful Winter Olympics nation in history. The Netherlands' 10 golds came overwhelmingly from speed skating, a discipline it has dominated for years.
How the Games opened
The opening ceremony was held on February 6, 2026, at San Siro in Milan, the 75,000-seat stadium normally home to AC Milan and Inter Milan. The very first gold medal of the Games went to Franjo von Allmen of Switzerland in the men's alpine skiing downhill, with Italy's Giovanni Franzoni taking silver and fellow Italian Dominik Paris earning bronze — an early highlight for the host nation in front of a home crowd.
Where the events were held
Competition was spread across five clusters in northern Italy, using a mix of existing and newly built facilities:
| Venue | Location | Sport(s) |
|---|---|---|
| San Siro Olympic Stadium | Milan | Opening ceremony |
| Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena | Milan | Ice hockey (newly built) |
| Milano Ice Skating Arena | Milan | Figure skating, short track |
| Milano Speed Skating Stadium (Fiera Milano Rho) | Milan | Speed skating, secondary hockey |
| Cortina Sliding Centre | Cortina d'Ampezzo | Bobsleigh, luge, skeleton |
| Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium | Cortina d'Ampezzo | Curling |
| Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre | Cortina d'Ampezzo | Alpine skiing (women's events) |
| Stelvio Ski Centre | Bormio | Alpine skiing (men's events) |
| Anterselva Biathlon Arena | Val Venosta | Biathlon |
| Livigno Snow Park / Aerials & Moguls Park | Livigno | Snowboard, freestyle skiing |
| Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium | Val di Fiemme | Cross-country skiing |
| Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium | Val di Fiemme | Ski jumping, Nordic combined |
| Verona Olympic Arena | Verona | Closing ceremony |
Correction from an earlier version of this page: the men's alpine skiing venue is the Stelvio Ski Centre (Bormio), not a "Stelvio Olympic Stadium" as previously stated here.
What was new at these Games
Milano Cortina 2026 marked the Olympic debut of ski mountaineering ("skimo"), a sport where athletes race up and down a course, alternating between skiing and moving on foot, with medals awarded in men's and women's sprint and a mixed-gender relay.
Several existing sports also added new events for 2026:
- Women's Doubles in luge
- Women's Large Hill in ski jumping
- Mixed Team event in skeleton
- Men's and Women's Dual Moguls in freestyle skiing
- Team Combined in alpine skiing
The mascots
The Olympic and Paralympic mascots were Tina and Milo, diminutive names referencing the two host cities: Tina for Cortina, Milo for Milano.
The Winter Paralympics followed in March
The 2026 Winter Paralympics were held separately, from March 6 to 15, 2026, across the same Milan and Cortina venues, plus other locations in Lombardy and Northeast Italy. China topped the Paralympic medal table with 15 golds and 44 total medals, across 79 medal events and 27 medal-winning national delegations. Wheelchair curling's mixed doubles event made its Paralympic debut.
Historical context
This marked the third time Italy has hosted the Winter Olympics, following Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956 and Torino (Turin) 2006, making Cortina itself the first city to host Winter Olympic events twice, 70 years apart. The Games were awarded to Milano Cortina in 2019, beating bids from Stockholm, Sweden and a joint Swedish bid.
What comes next
The Olympic flag passed to France at a ceremony in Albertville (host of the 1992 Winter Olympics) on February 23, 2026, the day after Milano Cortina's closing ceremony. The next Winter Olympics, French Alps 2030, will be held February 1–17, 2030. There is no Winter Olympics in 2027 — the Games stay on the four-year even-year cycle.
Key takeaways
- Milano Cortina 2026 ran February 6–22, 2026 across northern Italy venues.
- Norway finished first with 18 gold and 41 total medals.
- Host Italy had its best Winter Olympics: 30 medals (10 gold), fourth overall.
- Ski mountaineering debuted; several sports added new medal events.
- Winter Paralympics followed March 6–15, 2026; China topped that table.
- Next Winter Olympics: <a href="/next-winter-olympics-french-alps-2030">French Alps 2030</a> (February 1–17) — not 2027.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the most medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics?
Norway topped the table with 18 gold medals and 41 total medals, the most of any nation.
How did the host nation, Italy, perform?
Italy had its best-ever Winter Olympics performance, finishing fourth overall with 30 medals (10 gold, 6 silver, 14 bronze).
What new sport debuted at the 2026 Winter Olympics?
Ski mountaineering (skimo) made its Olympic debut, alongside new events in luge, ski jumping, skeleton, freestyle skiing, and alpine skiing.
Where were the 2026 Winter Olympics held?
Across five clusters in northern Italy: Milan, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Val di Fiemme, Valtellina (including Bormio and Livigno), and Verona.
Who won the first gold medal of the Games?
Franjo von Allmen of Switzerland, in the men's alpine skiing downhill.
When were the 2026 Winter Paralympics?
March 6–15, 2026, with China topping that medal table (15 golds, 44 total).
Conclusion
Milano Cortina 2026 is now in the books: Norway led the medal table, Italy delivered a career-best Winter Games at home, and ski mountaineering joined the Olympic program. For the next chapter of the Winter Games, see French Alps 2030 — what's next after 2026 (there is no 2027 Winter Olympics).
References
- Milano Cortina 2026 official results and medals
- 2026 Winter Olympics medal table
- 2026 Winter Paralympics medal table
- 2026 Winter Olympics medal count reporting
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