Milan or Cortina? The main thing is Italy! The 2026 Winter Olympics (Milano Cortina 2026) have finally started. While the world gazes at the snow-covered peaks and ice arenas, this event promises a mixture of dolce vita and ice-cold action – but also plenty of explosive material.
To make sure you’re not just sending perplexed emojis while watching or in a group chat, we have the most important knowledge for you. Here is the check on the 5 hottest topics in the games:
This is the news that ice hockey fans around the world have been waiting 12 years for: The NHL pros are back on Olympic ice! After an eternal absence, the superstars of the North American professional league are finally back in action.
The level is astronomically high. When our German superstar Leon Draisaitl meets Connor McDavid (Canada), it’s no ordinary game – it’s the “best-on-best” of world sport. With NHL greats like Tim Stützle and Moritz Seider in the squad, anything is possible for Germany this year. Ice hockey is the absolute must in 2026!
No idea about ice hockey? Here we explain the most important terms.
Forget stiff logos – 2026 will be fluffy. The mascots of the games are two stoats: Tina and Milo. The two are siblings and represent different worlds: Tina (light-colored fur) rocks the Olympic Games, while her brother Milo (dark fur) represents the Paralympics.
Fun fact: Milo was born without a paw, symbolizing the strength and resilience of the Paralympic athletes. Incidentally, their names are derived quite simply from the host cities: Cor-Tina and Milo-no(Milan).
Yesterday’s opening ceremony on February 6 was unlike anything we’ve seen before. Instead of gathering in one place, the ceremony was held simultaneously at four locations: the legendary San Siro in Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Livigno and Predazzo.
Even the entry of the nations was decentralized: the flag bearers entered all four venues at the same time and were connected via a live link. For the first time in history, the Olympic flame was also lit in two main bowls at the same time – one in Milan and one in Cortina. Spectacular for TV viewers, but a first harbinger of the logistical ordeal of these Games.
The official promise: 2026 is to be the year of the “Regional Games”. Instead of completely transforming a single city, Italy will use existing infrastructure in Lombardy, Veneto and South Tyrol. Over 90% of the sports facilities are already to exist. At least that’s the plan. 
To be honest, the reality looks less rosy. Italy has been heavily criticized because new buildings such as the sinfully expensive bobsleigh track in Cortina were rushed through despite environmental protests and exploding costs (from 180 to over 300 million euros!). Moreover, there are sometimes 400 kilometers between the locations.
The enormous distance is a logistical nightmare. Many athletes are already complaining: If the teams are housed completely isolated from each other in different cities and mountains, the classic Olympic vibe will unfortunately die a quiet death in the Olympic Village. Yet that is exactly what the Olympic Games are all about
Pay particular attention to the “sprint” competition: it only lasts around 3 minutes, is extremely action-packed and perfect for the TV age. SkiMo is basically a 100-meter run on skis with integrated mountain climbing – extremely strenuous and an absolute visual highlight.
What do you think? Will the long distances kill the atmosphere or will the Italian lifestyle save the event? In any case, we are curious to see if the NHL stars will melt the ice!
Image source: Milano Cortina 2026 / Press Room (all images in this article)
