The Milan Cortina Winter Games are covering lots of ground in Italy!

With the 2026 Winter Olympics almost underway, here’s exactly where the Games are being held and why they’re spread across numerous cities in Italy.

The last time Cortina d’Ampezzo hosted the Winter Olympics was in 1956 (Jan. 26-Feb. 5). The Games featured 821 athletes, and 24 events like bobsleigh, speed skating, and alpine skiing. Here’s what to know about that event.

It was unclear what caused the brief blip as players joked and killed time before the lights came on and action resumed.

Officials briefly paused the matches at the historic curling stadium when the lights dimmed and flickered. Curlers kept sliding on the ice to stay ready. Fans cheered when the bright lights came back shortly after and competition resumed. Venue officials said they were investigating and had no immediate word on what caused the problem.

Princess Anne and Monaco’s Prince Albert were seen at an IOC session in Milan as royals and foreign dignitaries begin arriving in Italy ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Italy's Interior Ministry said ICE staffers would work only in U.S. diplomatic offices, such as the Milan consulate, and “not on the ground.”

Pope Leo XIV has called for an Olympic truce just a few days before the Winter Olympics begin in Italy. With an eye on the many armed conflicts around the world, the head of the Catholic Church appealed in his Sunday prayer for leaders to "make concrete gestures to ease tensions and seek dialogue.