2026 Winter Paralympics facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
XIV Paralympic Winter Games

Host city	Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
Motto	IT's Your Vibe
Athletes	665 (expected)
Events	79 in 6 sports
Opening	6 March 2026
Closing	15 March 2026
Stadium	Verona Arena (opening ceremony) Cortina Olympic Ice Stadium (closing ceremony)
Winter
← Beijing 2022 French Alps 2030 →
Summer
← Paris 2024 Los Angeles 2028 →

The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games are a big international winter sports event. Athletes with disabilities from all over the world will compete. These exciting games are scheduled to happen from March 6 to March 15, 2026. They will take place in different locations across Lombardy and Northeast Italy.

This event is also known as the 2026 Winter Paralympics. It is often called Milano Cortina 2026 for short.

About the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games

The Paralympic Games are a chance for amazing athletes to show their skills. They compete in various winter sports. These games celebrate courage, determination, and the power of the human spirit.

Italy's Turn to Host

Italy is hosting the Paralympic Games for the third time. The first time was the 1960 Summer Paralympics in Rome. Those were the very first Paralympic Games ever! Then, Italy hosted the 2006 Winter Paralympics in Turin.

The Milano Cortina 2026 Games are special. They are the first Paralympic Games since 1992 to have more than one host city. Also, the opening and closing ceremonies will be in different places. This is the first time that has happened since 2010. These games also mark 50 years since the first Winter Paralympic Games.

Choosing the Host Cities

Cities around the world often compete to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. They present their plans to show why they would be the best choice.

How Milan and Cortina Won

In October 2018, Italy decided to bid for the 2026 Winter Games. The cities of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo teamed up for this bid. They presented their plans in Tokyo in November 2018.

On June 24, 2019, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made its decision. Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo were chosen to host both the 2026 Paralympics and the 2026 Winter Olympics. They won against a bid from Sweden.

2026 Winter Olympics bidding results

Bid	Nation	Votes
Milan–Cortina d'Ampezzo	Italy	47
Stockholm–Åre	Sweden	34
One abstention or blank vote

Getting Ready for the Games

Many things happen to prepare for such a big event. From special ceremonies to choosing volunteers, it takes a lot of planning.

The Handover Ceremony

A special handover ceremony happened during the closing ceremony of the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Beijing, China. This was on March 13, 2022. The Paralympic flag was passed from Beijing's mayor to the president of the International Paralympic Committee. Then, it went to the vice-mayor of Milan and the mayor of Cortina d'Ampezzo. The flag was then flown to Italy. It is now displayed in Palazzo Marino in Milan.

The Paralympic Torch Relay

The torch relay is a journey where the Paralympic flame travels across different places. It will take place from February 24 to March 6, 2026. About 501 torchbearers will carry the flame over 2,000 kilometers (about 1,240 miles).

The flame will be lit at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital in the United Kingdom. It will then travel to five Italian cities. The relay will visit Cortina d'Ampezzo, Venice, and Padua. It will end at the Verona Arena for the opening ceremony.

The Paralympic torch was shown in Milan, Italy, and Osaka, Japan, at the same time. This connected the two cities. The torch is bronze and is called "Essential." It is made from recycled aluminum and bronze. It uses a special fuel made from renewable materials. The torches are designed to be refilled many times.

Volunteers and Tickets

A huge team of 18,000 volunteers will help with both the 2026 Paralympic and Olympic Games. Applications for volunteering opened on September 19, 2024. By December 2024, almost 70,000 people had applied!

Tickets for the 2026 Paralympic Games start at €10 for children under 14. Most tickets (about 89%) cost less than €35. You could register for tickets starting October 4, 2024. Ticket sales began in March 2025.

Medals and Venues

On July 15, 2025, the designs for the medals were shown. The front of each medal has Braille writing and the Games' logo. The back shows the Paralympics logo.

Competition Locations

Five main places will be used for the competitions. There will also be three special villages for the athletes to stay in.

• Milan Cluster:
  • Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena – for para ice hockey
  • Milano Olympic & Paralympic Village – for athletes to stay

• Val di Fiemme Cluster:
  • Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium, Tesero – for para biathlon and para cross-country skiing
  • Predazzo Olympic & Paralympic Village – for athletes to stay

• Cortina Cluster:
  • Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre – for para alpine skiing
  • Cortina Para Snowboard Park – for para snowboard
  • Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, Cortina d'Ampezzo – for wheelchair curling and the closing ceremony
  • Cortina Olympic & Paralympic Village – for athletes to stay

• Verona:
  • Verona Arena – for the opening ceremony

The Games Themselves

The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games will be full of exciting moments. From grand ceremonies to thrilling sports, there's a lot to look forward to.

Opening and Closing Ceremonies

The opening ceremony will take place on March 6, 2026. It will be held at the historic Verona Arena in Verona. The show is called "Life in Motion."

The closing ceremony will happen on March 15, 2026. It will be at the Cortina Olympic Ice Stadium in Cortina d'Ampezzo. This ceremony is named "Italian Souvenir."

Exciting Winter Sports

The Games will feature 79 events across six different winter Paralympic sports. A new event, mixed doubles in wheelchair curling, will be introduced for the first time. A total of 665 athletes are expected to compete.

• Para alpine skiing (30)
• Para biathlon (18)
• Para cross-country skiing (20)
• Para ice hockey (1)
• Para snowboard (8)
• Wheelchair curling (2)

Countries Taking Part

Many countries send their best athletes to compete in the Paralympic Games. These athletes represent their National Paralympic Committees.

Who is Competing?

Athletes earned their spots in the Games through qualifying events from 2024 to 2026. For example, wheelchair curling qualifying points were earned from 2023 through 2025.

In September 2025, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) allowed the Russian Paralympic Committee to participate again. However, some sports federations, like those for skiing, biathlon, and curling, decided to keep their ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes. This means these athletes will not qualify for the 2026 Games in those sports.

Game Schedule

The full schedule for the 2026 Paralympics was shared on December 9, 2024. Some competitions will start before the opening ceremony. For example, wheelchair curling mixed doubles will begin two days early.

OC

Opening ceremony

●

Event competitions

1

Event finals

CC

Closing ceremony

March 2026	04 Wed	05 Thu	06 Fri	07 Sat	08 Sun	09 Mon	10 Tue	11 Wed	12 Thu	13 Fri	14 Sat	15 Sun	Events
Ceremonies			OC									CC	N/A
Para alpine skiing				6		6	6		3	3	3	3	30
Para biathlon				6			6			6			18
Para cross-country skiing					6			6			2	6	20
Para ice hockey				●		●	●		●	●	●	1	1
Para snowboard				●	4						4		8
Wheelchair curling	●	●	●	●	●	●	●	1	●	●	1		2
Daily medal events	0	0	0	12	10	6	12	7	3	9	10	10	79
Cumulative total	0	0	0	12	22	28	40	47	50	59	69	79
March 2026	04 Wed	05 Thu	06 Fri	07 Sat	08 Sun	09 Mon	10 Tue	11 Wed	12 Thu	13 Fri	14 Sat	15 Sun	Total events

Fun Facts and Marketing

The Games have their own special look, characters, and music to make them memorable.

The Emblem and Mascot

On March 30, 2021, a design called "Futura" was chosen as the emblem for both the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. The Paralympic emblem uses red, blue, and green colors. These colors represent an aurora and the Paralympic symbol.

An online vote closed on February 28, 2023, to pick the mascots. The winning characters were inspired by stoats. Their names were revealed as Tina and Milo. Milo, the brown stoat, is the Paralympic mascot. Milo was born without a leg. He represents cleverness, strong will, and creativity.

Official Song and Look

In March 2022, "Fino all'alba" (meaning "Until dawn") by Arisa became the official song. It was chosen for both the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

The visual style for the Games was shown on November 7, 2024. It takes inspiration from gestures, which are common in Italian communication. This includes special pictures for each of the six Paralympic sports. These pictures show the movements of the athletes. Five graphic elements, called "vibes," were also designed. Famous Italian people represent these vibes on social media.

Watching the Games

You can expect to see at least 300 hours of television coverage for the Games. In October 2025, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) got the rights to broadcast the Games in Europe. They will share these rights with their member broadcasters. Other agreements were also made with CBC Sports in Canada and Grupo Globo in Brazil.

More to Explore

• 2026 Winter Olympics
• 1960 Summer Paralympics, held in Rome
• 2006 Winter Paralympics, held in Turin
• 2026 Summer Youth Olympics