Two Italian cities win vote to host 2026 Winter Olympics
LA TimesMembers of the delegation from Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo react Monday in Lausanne, Switzerland, after the Italian cities were announced as the host of the 2026 Winter Olympics. The cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo beat out a rival bid from Sweden on a 47-34 vote as the International Olympic Committee made good on its desire to return to a traditional winter sports setting. “The passion and knowledge of Italian fans, together with experienced venue operators, will create the perfect atmosphere for the best athletes in the world,” IOC President Thomas Bach said, describing the winner as “a classic Alpine environment.” The IOC noted the Milan-Cortina bid was bolstered by “unified backing” from local and national government. Sign up for our daily sports newsletter » Either way, the IOC seemed content with both possibilities after recent stops in Russia and South Korea, and the selection of Beijing for the 2022 Winter Games.