The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo are proving to be a resounding success, with over 1.3 million tickets sold and an average stadium occupancy rate of 88 percent.
Organizers report that interest peaked during the second week of competition, with particularly strong attendance for speed skating, short track, figure skating, and ice hockey.
Andrea Varnier, head of the organizing committee, stated, “It’s more than we expected.” Organizers anticipate selling an additional 200,000 tickets during the upcoming Paralympic Games, according to Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore.
Total revenue from ticket sales is projected to exceed 200 million euros, or approximately 4.8 billion Czech crowns. The Winter Games returned to Cortina d’Ampezzo after seven decades, having previously been held there in 1956.
Merchandise has also been a major success, with all mascot toys selling out within the first week of the Games, with over 100,000 units purchased.
The Games have drawn a significant international crowd, with foreign visitors making up 63 percent of attendees. Germany accounted for 15 percent of international fans, while the United States represented 14 percent.
Television viewership has also been strong, particularly among younger audiences. Two-thirds of Italian viewers were between the ages of 15 and 24, a figure described as “impressive” by Giovanni Malagò, former president of the Italian National Olympic Committee and president of the Games’ organizing committee.
These Milan-Cortina Games mark a first in Olympic history, with two host cities instead of the traditional one. Organizers also significantly reduced costs by utilizing existing venues. Competition took place not only in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, but also in Valtellina, with its ski slopes, and Val di Fiemme, home to ski jumping hills.
The total budget for the Milan Olympics is 1.7 billion euros, or roughly 41 billion Czech crowns. Organizers expect to receive approximately 19 billion crowns in contributions from the International Olympic Committee, which has supplemented its existing partnerships with 56 additional sponsors for these Games.
Buoyed by the success of the Winter Games, organizers are now considering a bid for Rome to host the Summer Olympics in 2040. Rome previously hosted the Summer Games in 1960, which marked the first time the Olympics were televised globally.
