2026 Winter Paralympics Overview
The 2026 Winter Paralympics will take place from March 6 to March 15, 2026, in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, featuring more than 650 athletes competing for 79 gold medals across six sports.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on March 6 at the Verona Arena, while the closing ceremony will occur on March 15 at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.
Sports and Participation
Competitors will participate in para alpine skiing, para biathlon, para cross-country skiing, para snowboarding, para ice hockey, and wheelchair curling. Notably, this edition will feature wheelchair curling mixed doubles for the first time.
Five countries—El Salvador, Haiti, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Portugal—will make their debut at the Winter Paralympics, expanding the global representation at the Games.
This event marks the 50th anniversary of the first Winter Paralympics, held in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, in 1976. Historically, Austria has won the most medals in the Winter Paralympics, totaling 345, while Norway leads in gold medals with 140.
Ragnhild Myklebust holds the record for the most Winter Paralympic medals, with an impressive 27 to her name.
Quotes from Athletes and Officials
Giacomo Bertagnolli expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming Games, stating, “It will be a big stage for me and for the whole Paralympic world because we are finally in Italy and in Europe.”
IPC President Andrew Parsons emphasized the dual focus of the Games, saying, “We are a sport organisation, these games are about sport. But not only sport. These games are about inclusion too.”
The motto of the Paralympics, “Spirit in Motion,” encapsulates the determination of every athlete participating in the event.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding additional aspects of the Games as the date approaches.
