2034 Winter Olympics facts for kids
Provisional logo
|
|||
| Opening | February 10, 2034 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Closing | February 26, 2034 | ||
| Stadium | Rice–Eccles Stadium | ||
| Winter | |||
|
|||
| Summer | |||
|
|||
The 2034 Winter Olympics, also known as the XXVII Olympic Winter Games or Utah 2034, will be a huge international sports festival. Athletes from all over the world will gather in Utah, United States, to compete in many exciting winter sports. The games are planned for February 10–26, 2034.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) chose Utah to host these games. They first picked Salt Lake City in November 2023. The final decision was made in July 2024. Later, in November 2025, the games were named Utah 2034. This name shows that many places across Utah will help host the events, not just Salt Lake City. This will be the fifth time the United States hosts the Winter Olympics. Salt Lake City hosted before in 2002 Winter Olympics, making it one of the few cities to host more than once! It's also the first time a U.S. state, not just a city, is part of the official Olympic name.
Contents
How Utah Was Chosen to Host
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has a special way of choosing host cities now. They talk with interested places over time. This "continuous dialogue" helps them find the best fit. A host can even be a whole region or state, not just one city!
Selecting the Host City
On November 29, 2023, the IOC suggested Salt Lake City as the top choice for the 2034 Winter Olympics. The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) then entered into more detailed talks.
Finally, on July 24, 2024, during a big meeting in Paris, the IOC members voted. They officially chose Salt Lake City to host the 2034 Winter Olympics!
| Region | Country | Yes Votes | No Votes | Didn't Vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City | 83 | 6 | 6 |
Keeping Sports Fair
The IOC made sure that Utah agreed to follow very strict rules about fair play. These rules are set by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). It's super important that all athletes compete fairly and don't use any banned substances. The IOC wanted to make sure Utah would fully support these efforts to keep sports honest and equal for everyone.
Getting Ready for the Games
The 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City left behind many great sports facilities. Places like Utah Olympic Park have been used for international competitions ever since! This means Utah already has a lot of what it needs for the 2034 Games. In 2022, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) saw that Salt Lake City was a perfect choice because of its existing sports venues.
The cost to host these amazing games is estimated to be about $3.9 billion.
Where the Events Will Be Held
Many of the places used for the 2002 Olympics will be used again in 2034. However, there will be some cool changes!
- Alpine skiing will happen at Snowbasin.
- Exciting big air events will be at a new, temporary stadium built near the old medal plaza.
- Curling will be played at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City. This is because curling is becoming very popular in America!
In April 2024, Fraser Bullock, who helps organize the games, mentioned that new sports facilities built for professional teams in Salt Lake City might also be used.
Later that month, a big announcement was made! Ryan Smith, owner of the Utah Jazz basketball team, brought a professional hockey team to Salt Lake City. This team is now called the Utah Mammoth. As part of this, the Delta Center arena will get a big upgrade. In October 2024, it was confirmed that the Delta Center will host ice hockey for the Olympics. The Maverik Center will host figure skating and short track speed skating.
Venues in Salt Lake County
| Venue | Events | Capacity | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice–Eccles Stadium | Opening and Closing Ceremonies | 51,444 | Existing |
| Delta Center | Ice hockey (main venue) | 16,070 | |
| Maverik Center, West Valley City | Figure skating | 10,100 | |
| Short track speed skating | |||
| Utah Olympic Oval, Kearns | Speed skating | 7,500 | Existing, renovated |
| Olympic and Paralympic Cauldron Plaza | Snowboarding (big air) | 25,000 | Temporary |
| Freestyle skiing (big air) | |||
| Salt Palace | Curling | 6,500 | Existing |
Venues in Weber County
| Venue | Events | Capacity | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowbasin Resort | Alpine skiing | 19,000 | Existing |
Venues in Summit and Wasatch Counties
| Venue | Events | Capacity | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soldier Hollow | Biathlon | 15,000 | Existing, renovated |
| Cross-country skiing | |||
| Nordic combined | |||
| Utah Olympic Park Track | Bobsleigh | 12,000 | |
| Luge | |||
| Skeleton | |||
| Utah Olympic Park Jumps | Ski jumping | 15,000 | |
| Nordic combined | |||
| Utah Olympic Park | Snowboarding (cross/parallel) | 8,000 | Existing |
| Freestyle skiing (cross) | |||
| Deer Valley | Freestyle skiing (aerials/moguls) | 12,000 | |
| Park City | Snowboarding (halfpipe/slopestyle) | 15,000 | |
| Freestyle skiing (halfpipe/slopestyle) |
Venues in Utah County
| Venue | Events | Capacity | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peaks Ice Arena | Ice hockey | 10,000 | Existing, renovated |
Marketing the Games
The Games were first called Salt Lake City—Utah 2034. This was because new rules allow regions, not just cities, to be Olympic hosts. On November 24, 2025, a new logo was shown, and the name became simply Utah 2034. Brad Wilson, the CEO of the organizing committee, explained that this new name includes all the areas helping to host the games. He wanted everyone in Utah to feel like they are part of "Team 2034." Salt Lake City mayor Erin Mendenhall said that while it felt a little sad for the city's name not to be in the main title, Salt Lake City will always be an official Olympic city. She hopes the games will make the whole state proud!
Watching the Games
On March 13, 2025, the IOC announced that Comcast would be a "strategic partner." This means NBCUniversal will continue to broadcast the Olympic Games in the United States through 2036. This big agreement is worth $3 billion! Comcast will also help the IOC with new technology for broadcasting and showing the games. NBCUniversal was especially excited because the 2034 Winter Olympics will be held right here in the United States.
See also
| DeHart Hubbard |
| Wilma Rudolph |
| Jesse Owens |
| Jackie Joyner-Kersee |
| Major Taylor |
