On March 6, the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games, one of the major sporting events of the year, officially kicked off in Italy. For ten days, hundreds of athletes from all over the world will compete for medals in winter Paralympic disciplines. Find out more about where the 2026 Paralympic Games are taking place, how many countries are participating and what sports are on the program

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Today, March 6, 2026, the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games, the main international competition for athletes with disabilities in winter sports, officially kicked off in Italy. Over the course of ten days, athletes from dozens of countries will compete for medals in several Winter Paralympic disciplines. The Games will last until March 15, 2026 and will be held at several sports venues in Northern Italy.

You can learn more about the results and closing ceremony of the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Games here.

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Where the 2026 Paralympic Games will be held

The 2026 Winter Paralympic Games are taking place in Italy as part of the large sports project Milano Cortina 2026. The competitions are organized at several venues in Northern Italy, where modern sports infrastructure and world-class mountain resorts have already been created.

The main events of the Games take place in two key regions - Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, as well as in several other mountain locations in the Alps. It is here that the sports complexes, ski slopes and ice arenas hosting the Paralympic disciplines are located.

The main cities and locations of the 2026 Paralympics include:

1. Cortina d'Ampezzo - one of the most famous ski resorts in Italy, where skiing and snowboarding competitions are held.

2. Val di Fiemme - hosts cross-country skiing and biathlon.

3. Milan - hosts wheelchair curling competitions.

4. Verona - the opening ceremony of the Games took place at the historic Arena di Verona.

Thanks to this geography, the competitions are held in the heart of the Italian Alps, a region that is well known to tourists for its winter resorts, mountain scenery and modern sports infrastructure.

What sports are included in the 2026 Paralympic Games program?

The program of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games includes six main sports. Within these disciplines, athletes will compete for dozens of medals in different categories depending on the type of impairment.

The program of the 2026 Paralympic Games includes the following sports:

1. Alpine skiing is one of the most spectacular sports, including downhill and technical disciplines;

2. Para-biathlon - a combination of cross-country skiing and shooting;

3. Paralympic racing - endurance competitions at different distances;

4. Parasnowboarding is a relatively new discipline of the Paralympic Games that is rapidly gaining popularity;

5. Sledge hockey is a team sport that traditionally attracts a lot of attention from spectators;

6. Wheelchair curling is a strategic game on the ice in which teams compete for accuracy and tactics.

In total, 79 medal events are planned for the 2026 Paralympic Games, where athletes will compete for awards during ten days of competition.

Earlier, we talked about the main characters, scandals, and sensations of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics.

How many athletes and countries are participating in the 2026 Paralympics

The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games bring together athletes from all over the world. According to the International Paralympic Committee, more than 600 athletes representing approximately 56 countries are taking part in the competition.

For ten days, the athletes will compete for medals in six winter disciplines, demonstrating strength, endurance and a high level of sportsmanship. Many of the participants already have experience of competing at previous Paralympic Games, and for some of them Milano Cortina 2026 will be their debut at this level.

The largest delegations traditionally come from countries with developed winter sports infrastructure. These include the United States, Canada, Germany, China, Japan, Norway, and Italy. These are the countries that usually demonstrate good results in such disciplines as alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and sled hockey.

The Paralympic Games are traditionally considered one of the most inclusive international sporting events. Every year, they attract millions of viewers around the world and help popularize sports among people with disabilities.

When will the 2026 Paralympic Games take place?

The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games take place from March 6 to 15, 2026. During these ten days, athletes from all over the world will compete for medals in six winter disciplines.

The first days of the Games traditionally feature preliminary stages and qualifying races, followed by the final competitions in various sports. The organizers hold several medal events every day, so the tournament program remains intense until the very end.

The official closing of the Paralympic Games is scheduled for March 15, 2026. After that, the Winter Paralympics sports relay will be passed on to the next host country.

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