There are 206 National Olympic Committees worldwide, which are devised by the IOC and the International Sport Federation. These two organizations are the sole authorities who come together to recognize NOCs for the official Summer and Winter Games.

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The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics’ early events continued on day -1 ahead of Friday's opening ceremony. After opening the games on day -2 as the first event to start competitive play, curling continued with wins for the U.

A huge multinational delegation will gather in Italy in February.

Olympics fans can expect a unique dual-city setting, new events and even a new sport, and more TV coverage here in the United States than ever.

Even though the Olympics connect the global village, the Winter Games remain a distant dream for Africa, a continent where snow and ice are hard to find. Winter sports face high barriers from the start.

2026 Winter Olympics: For the first time in Olympic history, the Winter Games will be jointly hosted by two cities separated by more than 250 miles. Milan, Italy’s economic and cultural centre, will host the opening ceremony and stage the ice events.

The U.N. and IOC are asking for a pause in wars, an ancient Olympic tradition, amid the Winter Games. Athletes from countries beset by violence are set to compete.