Cortina preparing to host heads of state during the Winter Olympics. Mayor won’t say which ones

Global Leaders Flock to Cortina as Winter Olympics Spotlight Shifts to Alpine Resort

ROME — The pristine slopes and dramatic peaks of Cortina d’Ampezzo are attracting unprecedented attention from world leaders ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, with numerous heads of state planning to visit the Alpine resort during the Games, the town’s mayor revealed Tuesday.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Mayor Gianluca Lorenzi noted that Cortina’s prominence in Olympic preparations has grown so significantly that he joked the event is transforming into “Cortina Milan instead of Milan Cortina.”

“Most people thought these figures would go to Milan, instead a lot of interest has been generated over the last year and a half to come to Cortina,” Lorenzi said. “Cortina is dominating the news about the Olympics to the point that it’s nearly become Cortina Milan instead of Milan Cortina.”

While declining to name specific dignitaries, Lorenzi disclosed that officials are working on security arrangements for high-profile visitors, including constructing a helipad to facilitate easier travel between Olympic venues. This infrastructure addition highlights the logistical challenges of the Milan Cortina Games, which are spread throughout northern Italy with approximately five hours of travel time between the two host cities.

Traditionally, top government officials, heads of state, and royal family members attend Olympic opening ceremonies and often remain to watch competitions. While Milan will host the main opening ceremony at the San Siro soccer stadium on February 6, Cortina will simultaneously stage its own celebration featuring an athletes’ parade and the lighting of an Olympic cauldron.

The mountain resort will host several premier Olympic events, including women’s Alpine skiing, which traditionally draws massive global audiences. Star athletes expected to compete include American champions Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn, alongside Italian favorite Sofia Goggia, making Cortina central to some of the Games’ most anticipated competitions.

Beyond skiing, Cortina will also showcase curling and sliding events — bobsled, luge, and skeleton. The Italian government is racing against time to complete the renovation of Cortina’s century-old sliding center at a cost of 118 million euros ($136 million). This project became controversial when the International Olympic Committee suggested moving these events to existing facilities in neighboring Austria or Switzerland to avoid the expense of rebuilding.

For Mayor Lorenzi, the curling competition holds special significance. A former member of the Italian national curling team who competed in three European championships between 1997 and 2000, he expressed regret that his official duties might prevent him from attending all the curling events.

“We’ll have a lot of VIPs here — both heads of state and royalty. So there will be official meetings which could lead to international partnerships for Cortina,” he explained.

The 2026 Games mark Cortina’s second time hosting the Winter Olympics, following its debut on the global stage in 1956. In the intervening decades, the town has developed into a premier destination for winter sports enthusiasts and summer adventurers seeking hiking, climbing, and mountain biking opportunities.

Lorenzi views the upcoming Olympics as a pivotal opportunity to reintroduce Cortina to global audiences and attract international investment. The resort has already begun to see increased international tourism as Olympic preparations advance.

“Cortina is well known internationally among people who do mountain sports, but most people in general don’t know it,” Lorenzi noted, suggesting that the Olympic spotlight could fundamentally transform the resort’s global profile and economic prospects.

The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics will run from February 6-22, 2026, with events distributed across northern Italy’s most iconic urban and Alpine settings, creating what organizers hope will be a unique celebration of both Italy’s metropolitan energy and its stunning mountain heritage.