As the enthusiasm from the Paris Olympics begins to fade, the next Olympics and Paralympics are just a year away.

The Milan Cortina Olympics are set to kick off exactly one year from this Thursday. Being the first Winter Games post-COVID-19 and located in Western Europe, which is easily accessible for most spectators, it promises to be an exciting affair similar to that of Paris. Expect lively and cheerful crowds filling public areas and arenas, athletes eager to compete before friends and family, all set against a stunning backdrop of the Italian Alps instead of the Eiffel Tower.

“In Paris, we witnessed the unifying power of sports and the Olympic Games,” remarked Kit McConnell, sports director for the International Olympic Committee.

“Next year in Milan Cortina, we’ll experience that same spirit on snow and ice.”

Milan Cortina will host the largest Winter Games to date, featuring 116 medal events across 16 sports in the Olympics, while 79 medal events in six sports will take place during the Paralympics from March 6-15, 2026.

Here’s what else you should know about the upcoming Winter Games:

Where Will the 2026 Winter Games Take Place?

The Milan Cortina events will occur in eight different locations throughout northern Italy. Ice sports such as figure skating, speedskating, short track, and ice hockey will occur in Milan, while Cortina will host women’s Alpine skiing, curling, bobsled, luge, and skeleton.

Bormio will see men’s Alpine skiing and ski mountaineering; Antholz will host biathlon; freestyle skiing and snowboarding will take place in Livigno; Nordic combined and ski jumping events will be in Predazzo; and Tesero will feature cross-country skiing and Nordic combined events. Verona will be the site for both the Olympic closing ceremony and the Paralympic opening ceremony.

Isn’t That a Bit Spread Out?

Indeed! Milan and Cortina are separated by over 250 miles, and the distance from Cortina to Bormio is nearly 200 miles, with Bormio to Milan being 122 miles. While you can access the various venues by car, train, or bus, the locations for snow and ice events are not closely situated, unlike the previous Games held in places like Salt Lake City, Vancouver, and Pyeongchang.

“These Games won’t allow you to watch three events in one day unless you are staying in Milan,” stated Christophe Dubi, the IOC’s executive director. “If you’re planning to be in the mountains and attend some ice events, it simply won’t be feasible.”

As a suggestion: Keep the Milan Cortina schedule handy and prioritize Google Maps on your home screen.

Is Milan Cortina Prepared for the Games?

Most of the venues for the Games are existing facilities, some of which were utilized during the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina. The others regularly host World Cup events or world championships, which tends to alleviate pre-Games anxieties.

However, challenges always arise.

Despite the IOC’s concerns, local organizers opted to rebuild the sliding track from 1956, costing an estimated $123 million, and construction isn’t complete yet. The IOC will evaluate in March whether this track can be utilized, with crucial tests occurring in the upcoming weeks.

First up, the icing of the track is expected to be completed later this month. This will be followed by “pre-homologation,” which means athletes and officials from the bobsled, luge, and skeleton federations will assess and test the track to ensure it meets their necessary standards.

If the track isn’t finished in time? The IOC had hoped to host the sliding events in Austria or Switzerland. However, the Italians prefer not to incur additional costs to host the events with their neighbors. As a backup, the sliding track in Lake Placid, N.Y., is also being considered.

“Essentially, the Cortina track is Plan A for the Games, and we are quite hopeful that it will stay on schedule,” McConnell stated. “Yet, there’s still a lot of work ahead, and it’s closely watched by everyone involved.”

What’s Happening with the Russians?

Similar to Paris, don’t expect to see any teams representing “Olympic Athletes from Russia” or the “Russian Olympic Committee.” Russia’s blatant disregard for Olympic principles, particularly its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, has left even the outgoing IOC President Thomas Bach without justification for their participation.

The IOC grants various sports federations the authority to decide if any “individual, neutral athletes” from Belarus and Russia can compete. However, the stringent conditions mean very few will likely qualify for Milan Cortina.

For instance, the International Skating Union, which oversees figure skating, speedskating, and short track, is permitting only one skater at a series of qualifying events later this year. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation has yet to lift its ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes.

Although there was speculation that the return of NHL players might convince the International Hockey Federation to lift its ban on Russia and Belarus, it was announced earlier this week that conditions were still deemed “not yet safe” for their participation.

“The current security conditions do not satisfy the necessary requirements to guarantee the safety of all participants in tournaments, and thus, the IIHF will maintain the present status until further notice,” explained the federation.

This situation may potentially mark the end of Olympic appearances for Alexander Ovechkin, who is now 39 years old.

Are NHL Players Participating Again?

Yes! NHL players are making a return, and that’s certainly something to celebrate, as the Olympic tournament is far more thrilling with their involvement.

Last year, Commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed that the NHL would participate in the Winter Games for the first time since 2014. Even better, this agreement extends to both the Milan Cortina Games and the 2030 Winter Olympics.

Who Should We Keep an Eye On in Milan Cortina?

NHL stars are definitely a highlight. Players such as Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon, and Connor Hellebuyck are all set to be showcased for the first time in an Olympic tournament. For guidance, they might want to reach out to Matthew Tkachuk’s father for some advice!

Two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin is once again expected to excel in several Alpine skiing events. Ilia “Quad God” Malinin has dominated men’s figure skating this cycle and is likely to continue that trend in Milan. Jessie Diggins may outperform her own previous performance during the 2018 Games, where she led the U.S. women to gold in the cross-country skiing team sprint.

Jordan Stolz has been setting records in speedskating, having triumphed in the 500, 1,000, and 1,500 titles at the past two world championships. Chloe Kim aims to secure her third consecutive win in snowboarding, while the ever-competitive Lindsey Jacobellis might add more medals to her already impressive tally.

Will There Be New Events?

Absolutely! Ski mountaineering, often referred to as “skimo,” is an endurance sport that fuses skiing with climbing. Competitors ascend a hill, first on foot and then by skiing down. This sport has garnered popularity among both elite competitors and recreational enthusiasts in Italy, France, and Switzerland.

“It’s a perfect addition for these Games,” McConnell noted. “We’ll gauge its success, and with the subsequent Games being held in the French Alps, we’ll observe if they choose to include ski mountaineering as well.”

Additionally, women’s ski jumping has added the large hill event, and there is now a mixed relay in skeleton. Instead of having an individual Alpine combined event, which included both downhill and slalom runs, there is now a team combined event featuring a speed skier paired with a technical specialist.

Did Paris Achieve Gender Equality? What About Milan Cortina?

Not quite yet, but progress is being made. Women are expected to account for 47% of the more than 3,500 athletes participating, according to McConnell.

“The job isn’t completely finished, as it’s not 50%, and we continue to strive for that target. However, it’s a record level and a significant step towards achieving gender equality in the Olympic Winter Games,” McConnell explained.

Tom Schad contributed.

Follow News Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.