The Milano Cortina 2026 milestones that will take place in 2025

The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games are quickly approaching, and with the start of the new year, there are many must-see events for all winter sports fans and enthusiasts.

In 2024, Milano Cortina 2026 launched its volunteer programme with men's tennis world No. 1 Jannik Sinner as its ambassador.

It also revealed the look of the Games, with pictograms representing each Olympic and Paralympic discipline that will feature in the Milano Cortina 2026 programme. Finally, the Organizing Committee also announced the stages of the Olympic Torch Relay, which will arrive in Rome in December 2025 and pass through all Italian provinces before arriving in Milan for the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Olympic Games.

On 7 December, the Organising Committee kicked off the holiday atmosphere by lighting a Christmas tree in Milan's Piazza Duomo in front of hundreds of tourists and fans. The Games tree will be lit until Jan. 6, 2025, becoming a landmark for citizens throughout the holiday season.

Looking ahead to 2025, in addition to the stages of the Olympic Torch Relay route, there are many dates to mark on the calendar in advance of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Discover the milestones accompanying athletes, coaches and fans to the Milano Cortina 2026 Games.

Milano Cortina 2026: Unmissable Milestones of 2025

Test events: a taste of the atmosphere of the Games at the venues of Milano Cortina 2026

In addition to the unmissable moments already mentioned and the Olympic Torch Relay that will kick off in November, in 2025 the venues of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games will host several test events for various disciplines.

It begins on the 28 and 29 of December with men's alpine skiing on the Stelvio in Bormio before moving to Val di Fiemme with the cross-country skiing Tour de Ski from January 3 to 5, 2025. Then, it will be the turn of women's alpine skiing in Cortina on the historic track Olympia delle Tofane on 18-19 January.

Men's alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, snowboard and ski mountaineering can be seen live in Valtellina; Olympic and Paralympic cross-country skiing, Nordic combined and Para-biathlon in Val di Fiemme; women's alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh, luge, skeleton, curling and wheelchair curling in Cortina; and Milan will host ice events: speed skating, short track, figure skating and ice hockey. If you don't want to miss the Olympic test events, check out the full schedule of events here.