Seven countries confirm interest in staging 2026 Winter Games

Seven National Olympic Committees (NOCs) from three continents have expressed their interest in staging the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, with others already considering 2030 and beyond. This is the first group benefitting entirely from the Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms.

The countries are Austria (city of Graz), Canada (Calgary), Italy (Cortina d’Ampezzo/Milan/Turin), Japan (Sapporo), Sweden (Stockholm), Switzerland (Sion) and Turkey (Erzurum).

These interested cities and NOCs will continue with the new Dialogue Stage in which the IOC provides NOCs with greater support, technical advice, communications assistance and materials to develop the best possible candidature.

The new approach enables cities to create the most feasible, legacy-enhancing Olympic and Paralympic Games possible. During the Dialogue Stage, the IOC will work together with the cities and NOCs to narrow the field and ultimately produce the best possible host city.

The New Norm will also afford increased flexibility in designing Games that meet the long-term development goals of the city, region and country. The seven-year preparation journey has been significantly simplified, and hosts will receive more support from the IOC and the wider Olympic Movement.

Legacy is a priority from the very start of the planning through to final delivery and well beyond. The implementation of the IOC’s reforms will ensure that these elements are incorporated across the board and monitored from the earliest stages of Games planning and organisation.

“It’s no surprise that so many incredible cities have come forward to compete for the Olympic Winter Games in 2026 and 2030,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “The reforms laid out by Olympic Agenda 2020 created a clean, clear candidature process for Los Angeles, and many cities from around the world will benefit from these reforms as they bid in the coming months.”

The host city for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will be selected by the IOC Session in September 2019.