The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are supporting northern Italy's long-term development by accelerating existing regional plans, unlocking investment, and expanding opportunities for local businesses and residents across both mountain and urban areas.
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / February 20, 2026 / International Olympic Committee news
Key facts
Milano Cortina 2026 is accelerating existing development plans to strengthen resilient, sustainable local economies.
Investments accelerated by the Games improve transport, healthcare, digital links and year-round viability in regions facing depopulation and climate pressures.
Milano Cortina 2026's Impact 2026 programme directs contracts to local and social businesses, creating skills and jobs.
The Games are expected to generate EUR 5bn+ in impact, create 36,000 jobs, and boost lasting local event expertise.
Northern Italy's host regions face distinct challenges. Mountain communities have experienced depopulation, economic decline and uneven access to services. More unpredictable winters are placing pressure on traditional seasonal tourism models. At the same time, gaps in transport and digital connections have limited year-round economic activity.
As the first Games delivered under the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s Olympic Agenda reforms, Milano Cortina 2026 has a strong focus on resilience, connectivity and sustainable local economies that endure beyond the Games. Planning is tailored to local realities, reducing environmental impact while creating lasting value for communities. This includes maximising existing assets - notably Italy's world-class winter sports venues - and shaping a legacy aligned with host community needs.
How the Games support long-term regional development
Milano Cortina 2026 is closely aligned with long-term regional development strategies already in progress.
Milan's 2030 Urban Development Plan sets out a vision for a greener, more liveable and resilient city, with investments in public transport, expanded social housing and stronger community infrastructure. Built on a former railway site, the Milan Olympic Village has been designed with a clear post-Games legacy and will become Italy's largest student housing complex, responding to a well-documented local need. In parallel, the Municipality of Milan and the public transport operator have launched a comprehensive programme to eliminate architectural barriers across the metro network, which, before the Games were awarded, had only two fully accessible lines.
Across the Lombardy region, Games-related momentum is supporting investment in smart energy, sustainable urban mobility and socio-economic regeneration.
In Trento and Bolzano, railway stations are being modernised for better accessibility and connection with other public transport options.
Enhancements and modernisation of the Livigno Health Centre, the Codivilla Hospital in Cortina and the San Martino Hospital in Belluno are aimed at ensuring high-level medical services for the broader Upper Valtellina region.
In the Veneto Region, including Verona and Cortina, investment accelerated by the Games is strengthening healthcare provision, accessibility and power infrastructure. These upgrades are intended to make mountain life more viable and attractive for residents and visitors alike.
Impact 2026: inclusive, local and sustainable procurement
One of the most direct ways Milano Cortina 2026's host-focused approach is reaching local people is Impact 2026, a social procurement programme that places local, social, micro, small and medium-sized companies at the centre of supply opportunities. Delivered in collaboration with the organisers, the Yunus Sports Hub and Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini, Impact 2026 helps these companies access contracts, build skills and create more inclusive employment.
To date, more than EUR 1.77 million in Games-related procurement has been awarded to local social and micro-enterprises through 76 contracts, supporting businesses to build capacity for future events. More than 400 companies have participated in training on sustainable procurement, networking and innovation, alongside a matchmaking platform linking local organisations to upcoming opportunities. The programme also encourages participating businesses to recruit and train people facing barriers to employment, including unemployed young people, migrants, people with disabilities and ex-offenders. A similar model will support the Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 Winter Youth Olympic Games.
"Impact 2026 helps to create sustainable job opportunities, promote the professional integration of vulnerable groups, and develop the local economic fabric of the various involved territories," says Arram Kim, IOC Head of Legacy. "It aims to stimulate the growth and economic sustainability of businesses and territories while making the Games more inclusive and sustainable."
Local businesses expect a boost
Businesses across the host territories are reporting strong expectations for economic uplift linked to the Games. A Visa-Ipsos survey earlier this year found that 64 per cent of SMEs expect a positive impact on their business during the Games, especially in terms of turnover (34 per cent), while 95 per cent expect a positive impact on the local economy and tourism. Among these, 88 per cent believe that the hosting territories' economies will benefit the most. Many also see the influx of tourists and visitors as the main advantage (86 per cent).
These expectations are already translating into business readiness. Nearly half of the businesses surveyed have invested, or plan to invest, in refurbishment, marketing, staffing and e-commerce. In remote mountain communities in particular, the shift towards modern service infrastructure is visible: digital payments, once relatively uncommon, are expected to become the preferred method for food services (98 per cent), local transport (97 per cent) and shopping (99 per cent), helping bring rural businesses closer to year-round markets.
At the national level, according to estimates by Bocconi and Ca' Foscari Universities, the Games are expected to generate over EUR 5 billion in net economic impact for Italy, and create 36,000 new jobs.
Delivering events with local capability
Alongside Impact 2026, the Games are working with four local Event Delivery Entities (EDEs) experienced in staging world-class competitions in alpine skiing, bobsleigh, curling, luge, skeleton, biathlon and Nordic events. Using EDEs helps make the most of local expertise, reduces complexity and cost, and strengthens operational and legacy capacity in host communities.
Milano Cortina 2026 acts as a catalyst for a more connected, resilient and inclusive northern Italy. Supporting mountain and urban communities alike makes sure the benefits of the Games last for decades.
Arram Kim, IOC Head of Legacy
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SOURCE: International Olympic Committee
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/milano-cortina-2026-helping-to-build-strong-and-sustainable-loca-1139687
