2026 Winter Olympics by the numbers: The athletes, events and milestones of the Milano Cortina Games

Around the world, thousands of athletes are uniting for two and a half weeks of intense competition in snow and ice. This event is expected to bring together athletes from over 92 national teams, with more than 2,900 individuals set to compete in various sports.

Italy has played host to Winter Olympics twice before: first in Cortina d'Ampezzo in 1956, followed by Turin in 2006. The country will once again be at the center of attention this year, but it's not alone - the 2026 Games are set to take place across two cities, Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo.

The venues for the Winter Olympics span an area of approximately 8,494 square miles, making them one of the largest Games in history. This is due in part to the dual host cities, which means that competitions will be held at multiple locations, stretching nearly 250 miles apart. Despite this, organizers say that this approach allows for a more efficient use of existing venues and reduces the need for new construction.

In terms of athletes, there are around 2,916 competitors expected to attend the Games, with the United States set to have the largest team, featuring 235 athletes from across various disciplines. Canada will also be well-represented, with 211 athletes competing in different sports.

Some notable athletes on Team USA include seven who will make their fifth Olympic appearance, including figure skater Lindsey Vonn and ice hockey player Hilary Knight. The U.S. Winter Olympic team is expected to be the largest ever, with a total of 232 athletes set to compete.

On the other side of the spectrum, ski mountaineering - known as 'skimo' - will make its Olympic debut at the Games this year, along with eight new events across 16 sports disciplines and six Paralympic sports. In total, there are over 116 events scheduled for competition during the Winter Olympics.

Meanwhile, thousands of fans from around the world are expected to descend on northern Italy, with U.S. diplomatic officials urging Americans to book early due to high demand. Tickets range from $30 to nearly $1,400 for a figure skating exhibition gala - and it seems that many will be able to experience the excitement of this year's Winter Olympics.

With over 2 million fans expected to attend the Games, it promises to be an unforgettable event in Milano Cortina.
 
man this winter olympics is gonna be huge 🀯 think about it, like nearly 3k athletes from all around the world are gonna converge on milan and cortina d'Ampezzo for two and a half weeks of non-stop action - and i mean that literally, there r over 116 events scheduled πŸŽ‰. and it's not just about the sports itself, but also the cultural exchange that comes with it, like we get to see athletes from different countries coming together and sharing their passion 🌟. and let's be real, who wouldn't wanna witness a figure skating exhibition gala for nearly $1k? πŸ’Έ. anyway, can't wait to see how it all plays out!
 
The venues are crazy huge 🀯. Eight thousand four hundred ninety-four square miles is insane for a winter games. And now they're hosting it in two cities? That's genius. Less construction and more efficient use of spaces. I love how athletes from all over the world are coming together, it's so inspiring. The variety of sports is also insane - 116 events?! Some of these new events like ski mountaineering I've never even heard of before... interesting.
 
omg i'm so hyped for the winter olympics πŸŽ‰πŸ‚πŸ’¨! it's gonna be insane with all the athletes from around the world competing in different sports. i mean, 2,916 competitors? that's a lotta talent on one floor! 🀯 and can we talk about the new events like ski mountaineering? skimo is literally my new favorite thing 😍. plus, having two host cities makes it all so much more exciting - i love how they're spreading the action out across milan and cortina d'ampiegno.

i'm also loving that team usa is going strong with 235 athletes set to compete πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ. lindsey vonn and hilary knight are my girls for life πŸ’–! and $30 to $1,400 for tickets? that's a pretty great price range if you ask me πŸ€‘. i'm def booking those tix ASAP so i can experience the magic of this year's winter olympics πŸ”₯.
 
Dude πŸ€” I'm hyped for the Olympics! It's gonna be insane to see so many athletes from around the world competing on ice and snow πŸ‚πŸŽΏ The fact that they're having two host cities, Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, is a total game-changer. It means more venues and less traffic congestion for spectators πŸ˜… And can you believe 2,916 competitors are going to be there?! Mind-blowing! 🀯

The U.S. team looks super strong with 235 athletes, but I'm also stoked that ski mountaineering is making its Olympic debut πŸ”οΈ It's like, how cool is it that people can ski AND climb mountains at the same time? 😲 Anyway, have you checked out ticket prices for the figure skating exhibition gala? $1,400 is wild! πŸ€‘ Maybe I'll splurge and get one...
 
πŸ’οΈ I'm so stoked about these Olympics! It's crazy to think that athletes from all over the world are gonna come together for this massive two and a half weeks of snow and ice action 🌫️. I mean, Italy's hosting it again, which is awesome since they know what they're doing, but Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo teaming up as hosts is genius πŸ’‘. It'll be sick to see all the events happening across multiple locations - I love how organizers are being smart about using existing venues instead of building new ones 🌈.

It's also awesome that we get to see some fresh sports like ski mountaineering making its Olympic debut πŸ”οΈ! The American team is gonna be huge, with 232 athletes competing in all sorts of disciplines πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ. I'm hyped for Lindsey Vonn and Hilary Knight - they're legends on the ice 🀩. And can you believe there are over 116 events scheduled? It's gonna be non-stop action from start to finish ⏰! Tickets are selling fast, so if you wanna go, you gotta act quick πŸ’Έ. This is shaping up to be an unforgettable Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina - I'm counting down the days until it all goes down πŸŽ‰
 
omg i just love watching olympics on tv πŸ“Ί they have so many cool sports i dont really understand but its like super competitive lol what is ski mountaineering tho? sounds like climbing or something πŸ”οΈ and why do we need 2 cities for the games? cant it just be in one place like im a total newbie to all this πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ also wooo team usa is going to rock πŸ’ͺ and lindsey vonn is like a legend in figure skating 🎀
 
omg i cant believe its finally happening!!! πŸŽ‰ i mean i love winter sports and all but 92 national teams is insane that many athletes from around the world are gonna come together for this... and skimo making its olympic debut is so cool 😎 2,916 competitors is a lot!! and usa is expected to have like the biggest team ever with 235 athletes lol and $30 to $1,400 ticket prices is wild!!! i wish i could get tickets but maybe ill just watch it online or something πŸ“ΊπŸ’»
 
OMG 🀩 I'm literally so hyped for the Winter Olympics this year! As a student, I know how crazy busy school gets, but can you imagine having that much awesome stuff happening right outside your window? 😍 It's going to be amazing to see all those athletes from different countries competing together. And omg, have you seen the ski mountaineering event? That sounds so cool! πŸ”οΈ I've never even tried it before, but now I'm totally inspired to give it a shot! My friends and I were talking about how it would be so much fun to watch the figure skating exhibition gala - those prices are insane though, $1,400 is like, my entire semester's worth of savings πŸ˜‚. Anyway, can't wait for this event to happen! It's going to be EPIC πŸŽ‰
 
Wow, can you believe there are gonna be 116 events across 16 sports disciplines and 6 Paralympic sports? And they're having ski mountaineering for the first time ever! 🀯 That's so cool! Interesting that the Winter Olympics are getting bigger and more popular every year. Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo seem like a great combo, I wish I could be there to see it all! 😎
 
Man I'm hyped for the Winter Olympics 🀩! The fact that Italy is hosting again and now with two cities makes total sense, gotta spread the love and make it more accessible for everyone. And 9k square miles of competition venues? That's insane! 🀯 You can just imagine all the energy at the Games, athletes from all over the world, and thousands of fans cheering them on 😊.

And I'm loving the new events like ski mountaineering - never heard of it before but sounds so cool 🎿. And 116+ events? That's a lot to keep track of! But for me, it's not just about the sports, it's about the experience and being part of something bigger than ourselves πŸ‘₯.

I'm also loving how Italy is opening its heart to more fans with ticket prices ranging from $30 to over $1k. It's all about making this event accessible to everyone πŸ’•. And can you imagine the atmosphere in Milano Cortina? It's gonna be lit πŸ”₯!
 
I dunno about all the hype around the Winter Olympics πŸ€”. I mean, 8,494 square miles is a lot of space to cover with 2,916 athletes and over 116 events... it's like they're trying to do everything at once πŸ˜…. And $30 to $1,400 for tickets? That's just crazy πŸ’Έ. I think some people are getting caught up in the excitement without thinking about whether it's really worth all that money.

And what's with the dual host cities? It sounds like a logistical nightmare 🀯. I get that they want to use existing venues and reduce construction, but is it really necessary? I'm just worried that it'll be hard for everyone to navigate and find their way around.

But hey, if you're into figure skating or ice hockey, go for it! πŸŽΏπŸ’οΈ Just don't expect me to shell out a small fortune for tickets πŸ˜‚.
 
I'm worried about all these athletes traveling from different parts 🀯. They're gonna need some serious R&R after being on ice/snow for hours on end 😴. And with 2.9k people competing across 116 events, I hope they've got some awesome food trucks nearby to keep everyone fueled πŸ˜‹. The idea of having two host cities is kinda cool, but it's also a lot of pressure to make sure everything runs smoothly πŸ™. Can't wait for the figure skating exhibitions tho! Lindsey Vonn is going to be amazing πŸ’–
 
can't believe how crazy expensive tickets are for the Olympics 🀯 $1,400 for a figure skating exhibition gala? that's like buying a house in some parts of the country lol. and 2 million fans expected to attend? that's just wild. i mean, i get why it's a big deal, but come on, can't they make tickets more affordable for regular people? πŸ€‘
 
OMG 🀩, I am so hyped for the Winter Olympics!!! It's like, finally, my fave sports are going to get the love they deserve on a global stage πŸ’₯! The fact that Italy is hosting again (Cortina d'Ampezzo, I'm thinking of visiting ASAP πŸ“) and now Milan too, is gonna be EPIC πŸŽ‰! And can we talk about Team USA? πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ Lindsey Vonn is like my idol (and figure skater extraordinaire πŸ’ƒ), and Hilary Knight is a total rockstar on the ice hockey scene πŸ’οΈ! I'm literally counting down the days until the Games start, I need my Olympic fix πŸ˜‚. The snow sports are gonna be SO cool to watch, especially with all these new events like ski mountaineering πŸ”οΈ. And omg, have you seen the ticket prices? πŸ’Έ $30 to a figure skating exhibition gala? YAAAS, I'm splurging for that 🎟️!
 
I'm literally freaking out rn... I mean, have you seen the number of events they're having? Like, 116?! Ski mountaineering is a thing now?! πŸ€―πŸ‚ I've always wanted to try it but I'm more of a downhill skiing girl myself πŸ˜‚. But for real tho, can't wait to see Lindsey Vonn and Hilary Knight compete again! They're legends in the US winter sports scene. And omg, 2.916 athletes competing?! That's insane! 🀯 Can't even imagine how crazy it must be to have that many people under one roof... or in this case, across multiple venues πŸ”οΈ. I'm definitely considering going for my birthday next year... if I can afford the tickets lol πŸ’Έ
 
I'm thinking about how cool it is that Italy gets to host the Winter Olympics for the third time 🀩😎. It's gonna be huge with all the athletes from around the world coming together and stuff πŸŒŽπŸ’¨. I heard the venues are like, really big too - 8,494 square miles! That's insane 🀯. And it's not just Italy, Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo will host the Games this year as well 🀝. I'm also super stoked that Team USA is gonna have a huge team with so many athletes competing πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡ΈπŸ’ͺ. Some of the athletes are even making their fifth Olympic appearance - what an achievement! πŸ’₯
 
πŸ… I'm hyped about the upcoming Winter Olympics! The idea of a dual host city is genius πŸ€“, it's gonna be crazy to see athletes competing across multiple venues πŸ“. And can you believe ski mountaineering is making its Olympic debut? ❄️ Skimo is already so cool 😎. I'm also stoked that Team USA is looking strong with 232 athletes set to compete πŸ’ͺ. The venues are massive, 8,494 square miles, that's insane! 🀯 Can't wait to see the whole event unfold ⏰. Tickets are pretty pricey, but it'll be worth it for the experience 🎟️. U.S. diplomats are warning Americans to book early due to demand 😬. Guess I'll have to save up for it πŸ˜…
 
Yaaas I'm hyped 🀩 for the Winter Olympics in Italy! It's gonna be so cool (get it?) with all those athletes from different countries competing πŸŒŽπŸ†. The ski mountaineering - skimo - thing is a new event, but that's awesome too ❄️. And can you believe there are over 116 events this year?! It's like the ultimate snow party πŸŽ‰. I wish I could get tickets to see Lindsey Vonn and Hilary Knight in action πŸ€©πŸ‘. The U.S. team is gonna crush it, but Canada will be close too πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦! Italy's hosting it for the third time, so they must know what they're doing 😎. Can't wait to see all the snow and ice and just enjoy the winter vibes β„οΈβ˜•οΈ.
 
OMG, can you even imagine how EPIC this is gonna be?! 😍 I mean, 92 national teams and 2,916 athletes competing for gold? The USA team is looking πŸ”₯ with 235 athletes and notable ones like Lindsey Vonn and Hilary Knight making their fifth Olympic appearance. And get this - ski mountaineering (or 'skimo') is finally debuting as an Olympic sport! πŸ‚β„οΈ I'm all about trying new things, so it's awesome that they're adding more events across 16 sports disciplines. The venues are massive, like, 8,494 square miles huge! 🀯 And the fans are going to be there in droves, with over 2 million expected to attend. Tickets range from $30 to a whoppin' $1,400... that's some serious $$$! πŸ’Έ I'm low-key hoping it'll be as magical as when they filmed The Revenant or The Greatest Showman (you know, those Oscar-winning movies). Either way, it's gonna be a wild ride in Milano Cortina this February! πŸŽ‰
 
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