Who Will Host The Next Olympics?
With the 2024 Summer Olympic Games underway in Paris, it may seem early to think about the 2026 Winter Games. However, Italy, the 2026 host, is already in full swing with preparations. In fact, a countdown timer on the official 2026 Olympics website marks the days, minutes, and seconds until the event. In 2026, Italy will host the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo from February 6th to 22nd. Just two years later, the United States will host the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles from July 14th to 30th in 2028.
Italy’s 2026 Bid
The International Olympic Committee selected Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo as the official host cities for the 2026 Winter Olympics during the 134th IOC Session in Switzerland. Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, in Italy, outbid Stockholm-Åre, in Sweden, 47 to 34. It will be Italy’s fourth time hosting the Olympic games, after hosting the Winter Olympics in Turin in 2006, the Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo in 1956, and the Summer Olympics in Rome in 1960. It will also be the first Olympic Games to involve multiple host cities, featuring seven cities in northern and northeastern Italy, in addition to Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, which are over 400 kilometers apart.
Milan and Cortina’s proposal included using numerous competition venues from the 2013 Winter Universiade, held in the Trentino Province. It also proposed using some infrastructures that continue in use from the previous Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympics in 1956. The Milan Metropolitan Region will host nearly all of the ice events, except for curling. The Opening Ceremony will take place in the San Siro Stadium, which is a football stadium in Milan with a capacity for approximately 80,000 people, while the closing ceremony will take occur in the Verona Arena, which is a historical Roman Amphitheater dating back to 30 AD. The closing ceremony is the only event scheduled in Verona, with Verona sitting about 168 kilometers from Milan and 250 kilometers from Cortina d’Ampezzo.
About Cortina d’Ampezzo
Located in northeastern Italy, in the Veneto Dolomites mountain range, Cortina d’Ampezzo has a small population of a little under 6,000 residents. It is a particularly popular destination for outdoor adventurers who enjoy hiking and winter sports. It sits at an altitude of 1,224 meters and experiences short summers and long winters, with some of Italy’s coldest temperatures recorded in this region. It features 140 kilometers of ski slopes, composing a portion of the Dolomiti Superski circuit. Besides its nearby outdoor activities, its parish church in the heart of the village and famous shopping street, Corso Italia, are a couple of the most well-known attractions.
About Milan
As a hub for fashion, design, finance, culture, and history, Milan is one of the top 20 most visited cities in the world. Located in northern Italy, it has a metropolitan population of approximately 1.3 million people. It features historic landmarks, such as the Cathedral of Milano, and a myriad of museums and galleries, such as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and Brera Art Gallery. Milan has a history in hockey, having previously hosted the Hockey World Championship Finals in 1994. The city has new venues under construction, the PalaItalia Santa Giulia and Palasharp, which will form the Milano Hockey Arena. The city’s famous Piazza del Duomo is the plaza where the centuries-old Milan Cathedral sits.
United States' 2028 Bid
The International Olympic Committee selected Los Angeles as the official Summer Olympics location in 2017 during the 131st IOC Session in Peru. Although Los Angeles initially applied to host the 2024 Summer Olympics, they agreed during the meeting that Paris would host in 2024 and Los Angeles in 2028, with Los Angeles being the only 2028 candidate. The committee recognized the elaborate technical plans of both the Paris and Los Angeles bids, which also emphasized the importance of reusing existing stadiums for events.
The Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will be the ninth time that the United States hosts and the third time that Los Angeles hosts, the city having previously hosted the Summer Games in 1984 and 1932. Due to the lack of adequate venues in Los Angeles, the softball and canoe slalom events will take place in Oklahoma City, while the equestrian and para-equestrian events will be held in Temecula, California.
Los Angeles’s Stadium Use
Los Angeles’s current venue plan includes using various already existing venues, including the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Rose Bowl, Crypto.com Arena, and SoFi stadium, and the city is not planning to build any permanent venues for the 2028 games. As a result, LA28 Chairperson and President Casey Wasserman has announced that the city is achieving over $150 million in savings and revenue. In total, the city will use over 80 venues to host more than 50 Olympic and Paralympic sports, summing to over 800 events.
About Los Angeles
Located in the Western United States along the Pacific Coast, Los Angeles is a thriving metropolis with a little over 3.8 million residents. It features over 120 kilometers of coastline and over 100 beaches. Besides its beaches, popular attractions include Beverly Hills Drive, a famous shopping and dining street, the Griffith Observatory, and art institutions such as the Getty Center and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The city has also been improving its transportation system for the 2028 Olympics, creating and expediting transportation infrastructure, such as the opening of the Metro K Line in 2022 and the extension of the D Line.
Although the dates seem to remain far, both Italy and the United States have engaged in detailed planning and preparation to host an organized and successful Olympic Games season. With Italy preparing for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, and Los Angeles preparing for the 2028 Summer Olympics, the future Olympic Games look promising. As the countdown continues, anticipation grows for the remarkable experiences that await athletes and spectators alike.
