2026 Winter Paralympics Overview
The 2026 Winter Paralympics will be held from March 6 to March 15, 2026, in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. More than 650 athletes are expected to compete for 79 gold medals across six sports.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on March 6, while the closing ceremony will take place on March 15 at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium. This edition marks the 50th anniversary of the first Winter Paralympics, which were held in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, in 1976.
The mascot for the games is Milo, a brown stoat born without one paw, symbolizing resilience and determination. The sports featured will include para alpine skiing, para biathlon, para cross-country skiing, para snowboarding, para ice hockey, and wheelchair curling.
Notably, this event will introduce wheelchair curling mixed doubles for the first time. The history of the Winter Paralympics shows that Austrian athletes have won the most medals overall, totaling 345, while Norway leads in gold medals with 140.
Among the most decorated athletes is Ragnhild Myklebust, who holds the record for the most Winter Paralympic medals with 27.
Giacomo Bertagnolli expressed excitement about the event, stating, “It will be a big stage for me and for the whole Paralympic world because we are finally in Italy and in Europe.”
Andrew Parsons emphasized the significance of the games, saying, “These games are about sport. But not only sport. These games are about inclusion too.”
The Paralympics have grown into a global phenomenon, standing on their own merit, as highlighted by various observers. One noted, “Visibility creates belief—and belief can change a life.”
Details remain unconfirmed regarding the final athlete roster and specific event schedules, but anticipation continues to build as the games approach.
