Milan-Cortina 2026 ends as first wide-spread Winter Olympics; 2030 Alps may stage events abroad

A live video feed shows the lighting of the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 6 (local time). [Photo=Yonhap]

The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, staged across northern Italy in a widely dispersed format, ended after 17 days of competition. The next Winter Games, the France Alps 2030 Olympics, are expected to go further, with some events likely held outside the host country for the first time in Winter Olympic history.

The Milan-Cortina Games, which closed Feb. 23 (Korea time), were held in four clusters: Milan; the Alpine resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo; Valtellina-Bormio; and Val di Fiemme. Organizers described it as the broadest geographic footprint of any Olympics. Olympic cauldrons were installed in both Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The two cities are about 400 kilometers (250 miles) apart, roughly a five-hour drive.

The approach was intended to align with the International Olympic Committee’s push for “sustainability,” aiming for a greener and more economical Games. The organizing committee focused on using existing venues rather than building new ones to limit the heavy costs of construction. The model also brought drawbacks: athlete villages were split among multiple sites, and travel between venues stretched to hundreds of kilometers, adding to fatigue for athletes and spectators. The dispersed setup also made it harder to create a single, unified Olympic atmosphere, leaving questions about overall buzz and turnout.

The signal sent by Milan’s dispersed model is expected to evolve again at the France Alps 2030 Winter Olympics. The 2030 Games are set to be the first Olympics whose official name does not include a specific city, with events spread mainly across southeastern France, including Nice and Savoie. Organizers also plan to stage official events in another sovereign country.

The France Alps 2030 organizing committee has decided to hold Olympic speedskating outside France, choosing either Turin, Italy, or Heerenveen, Netherlands, foreign media reported Feb. 22. [Photo=Yonhap·Reuters]

The France Alps 2030 organizing committee is reported to have decided that speedskating will be held not in France but in either Turin, Italy, or Heerenveen, Netherlands. The move appears driven by cost, as speedskating ovals are known to be among the most expensive Winter Olympic facilities to build and maintain.

Some Olympic events have been held outside the host country before. At the 1920 Antwerp Games, some yachting events took place in the Netherlands. At the 1956 Melbourne Games, equestrian events were staged separately in Stockholm because of Australia’s strict animal quarantine rules. But for the Winter Olympics, the France Alps 2030 Games would be the first to hold a specific sport in another sovereign country.

Edgar Grospiron, president of the 2030 organizing committee, said at a news conference in Milan that holding speedskating abroad “was already agreed with the IOC from the time of the bid.”

Organizers said about 15% of venues for the 2030 Games have not yet been finalized, and they plan to complete the final plan by June. Figure skating is currently expected to be held in Nice, according to reports.

* This article has been translated by AI.

Kang Sang Heon ksh@ajunews.com