2026 Winter Paralympics: Dates, Sports, Tickets & Viewing Guide
Missing a key date or ticket window for the 2026 Winter Paralympics could cost you the chance to witness history. Official schedules sell out fast, and watching from home means knowing the right channel. This guide breaks down the complete Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic schedule, all 6 sports, ticket-buying steps, and broadcast details so you don’t miss a single moment.
2026 Winter Paralympics Dates and Location
The 2026 Winter Paralympics run from March 6 to March 15, 2026. The host cities are Milano and Cortina d’Ampezzo in northern Italy. This is the first time Italy has staged a Winter Paralympics, and the organizers blend Alpine heritage with modern, accessible venues.
Bookmark these key dates right now:
- Opening Ceremony: March 6
- Competition days: March 7–14
- Closing Ceremony: March 15
The official Milano Cortina 2026 website lists the full competition calendar with detailed daily schedules. Verona’s ancient Arena will stage the Opening Ceremony, while the snow events happen in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Val di Fiemme, and Anterselva. Ice sports take place in Milano. You get a compact, fan-friendly setup where most venues sit within an hour of each other by accessible transport.
Milano Cortina 2026: The Host Cities and Venues
Milano Cortina 2026 delivers a dual-city Paralympic experience. Milano hosts para ice hockey and the media center. Cortina d’Ampezzo, a jewel of the Dolomites, stages para alpine skiing, para snowboard, and wheelchair curling. Val di Fiemme handles para cross-country skiing and para biathlon. The legendary Verona Arena—usually a Roman opera house—transforms into the stage for the 2026 Winter Paralympics opening ceremony.
This venue plan cuts travel time for athletes and fans. All indoor ice venues and mountain sites passed rigorous accessibility audits long before the Games. Shuttle loops and barrier-free viewing zones make navigating from city to slope simple.
2026 Winter Paralympics Sports List
The 2026 Winter Paralympics feature six sports. Each sport offers multiple medal events divided by impairment classification.
| Sport | Medal Events | Primary Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Para Alpine Skiing | 30 | Cortina d’Ampezzo |
| Para Biathlon | 18 | Anterselva / Val di Fiemme |
| Para Cross-Country Skiing | 20 | Val di Fiemme |
| Para Ice Hockey | 1 mixed tournament | Milano |
| Wheelchair Curling | 1 mixed team | Cortina d’Ampezzo |
| Para Snowboard | 10 | Cortina d’Ampezzo |
Total: 79 medal events. The International Paralympic Committee confirms this program matches the evolution of winter adaptive sports. Para ice hockey remains a tournament-only format with one gold. Wheelchair curling also awards a single medal, but its round-robin schedule fills 10 days of competition.
For the first time, para snowboard expands to 10 medal events, adding new banked slalom and snowboard cross categories. Para cross-country skiing includes free technique and classic races over multiple distances. Watch for sit-skiers, standing skiers, and visually impaired athletes competing with guide skiers.
2026 Winter Paralympics Schedule: Key Events Day by Day
The 2026 Winter Paralympics schedule packs 79 medal events into nine full competition days. Below is the provisional day-by-day overview. Organizers will release precise start times closer to the Games.
| Date | Day | Key Events | Medal Events (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 6 | Friday | Opening Ceremony (20:00, Verona Arena) | — |
| March 7 | Saturday | Para Alpine Skiing (Downhill), Para Snowboard (SBX), Wheelchair Curling begins | 12 |
| March 8 | Sunday | Para Biathlon (Sprint), Para Cross-Country Skiing, Wheelchair Curling | 10 |
| March 9 | Monday | Para Ice Hockey preliminary round, Para Alpine (Super-G) | 8 |
| March 10 | Tuesday | Para Cross-Country (Middle distance), Para Biathlon (Individual) | 8 |
| March 11 | Wednesday | Para Alpine (Combined), Para Snowboard (Banked Slalom) | 9 |
| March 12 | Thursday | Para Ice Hockey semifinals, Wheelchair Curling semifinals | 4 |
| March 13 | Friday | Para Cross-Country (Relay), Para Ice Hockey bronze medal | 6 |
| March 14 | Saturday | Wheelchair Curling gold medal, Para Ice Hockey gold medal, Para Snowboard team event | 10 |
| March 15 | Sunday | Closing Ceremony | — |
The 2026 Winter Paralympics schedule and results will update live on paralympic.org and the official Milano Cortina 2026 app. The 2026 Winter Paralympics schedule and results USA fans track will also appear on NBC Sports digital platforms. Mark the medal days for your favorite sports. Wheelchair curling stretches across the entire Games, giving you daily round-robin action you can follow from the very first stone.
How to Watch the 2026 Winter Paralympics: TV Channels and Streaming
Where to watch the 2026 Winter Paralympics depends on your location, but major broadcasters already locked in rights. In the United States, NBC Sports holds the rights. Live coverage streams on Peacock, and tape-delayed highlights air on NBC and USA Network. The Paralympic YouTube channel also broadcasts free highlights and select live events globally.
Other key broadcasters:
- Canada: CBC and Radio-Canada, with streams on CBC Gem
- United Kingdom: Channel 4
- Australia: Nine Network and Stan Sport
- Europe: Discovery Eurosport covers most of the continent; check local listings
For the 2026 Winter Paralympics where to watch in your region, visit paralympic.org/watch and enter your country. Bookmark the page now so live streams are ready when the first medal event starts.
2026 Winter Paralympics Opening Ceremony: Time and What to Expect
The 2026 Winter Paralympics opening ceremony time is 20:00 CET on Friday, March 6, 2026. The Verona Arena, a Roman amphitheater, becomes a theatrical backdrop for the Parade of Nations and the lighting of the Paralympic cauldron. Italian producers promise a show that fuses opera, adaptive performance art, and cutting-edge light installations.
Attendees need to arrive at least two hours early. Security screening opens at 16:00, and accessible entry points are clearly marked. If you are watching from home, tune in 15 minutes ahead for the pre-show. The ceremony ends around 22:30 CET, giving athletes a full night of rest before Saturday’s first medal events.
2026 Winter Paralympics Medals: Design, Medal Table, and How to Follow the Count
The 2026 Winter Paralympics medals feature a design inspired by Italian architecture and the texture of Dolomite rock. The ribbon uses recycled materials, aligning with the sustainability goals Milano Cortina 2026 set early in the bid process.
A live medal table will track the 2026 Winter Paralympics medals count on the official Games website and the IPC results portal. You can filter by nation, sport, and classification. The 2026 Winter Paralympics medal count resets every four years; previous Winter Games leaders like Ukraine, China, and the United States start fresh in March 2026.
The 2026 Winter Paralympics medals list will fill fast. Para alpine skiing alone accounts for 30 golds, so nations with deep ski teams often surge early. Para biathlon and cross-country shift the standings quickly. Wheelchair curling and para ice hockey deliver the final medals of the Games, often deciding the overall medal table champion.
2026 Winter Paralympics Mascot: Meet the Official Symbol
The 2026 Winter Paralympics mascot is a cheerful stoat named Milo, designed by students from a school in Lombardy. Milo wears a blue and green adaptive sport outfit and carries the message “Play beyond limits.” The stoat, a small white-furred mammal native to the Italian Alps, changes its coat in winter—mirroring how para athletes adapt and thrive. You will see Milo on tickets, merchandise, and live venue graphics throughout the Games.
2026 Winter Paralympics Tickets: How to Buy and Best Seats
2026 Winter Paralympics tickets go on sale through Ticketone, the official and only authorized vendor. Registration opened in late 2025, and remaining inventory drops in phases. Prices start at €15 for preliminary rounds and reach €100 for premium seats at the Opening Ceremony and gold-medal games.
Secure your tickets now:
- Visit the official ticketing page on milanocortina2026.olympics.com.
- Create a Ticketone account with your identity documents.
- Select your sport, session, and seating category (wheelchair-accessible seats are clearly labeled).
- Pay by credit card or bank transfer.
Do not buy from secondary resellers. The organizing committee cancels tickets transferred outside the official platform. For team-specific sessions like Team USA para ice hockey, buy early—those blocks vanish within hours. Wheelchair curling offers great value with daily doubleheaders and an electric arena atmosphere.
2026 Winter Paralympics News and Updates: How to Stay Informed
Official 2026 Winter Paralympics news flows through paralympic.org, the Milano Cortina 2026 newsroom, and the IPC’s social media channels. Sign up for the “Milano Cortina 2026 Newsletter” to get schedule changes, venue updates, and athlete features straight to your inbox. Follow @Paralympics on X and Instagram for real-time clips, medal alerts, and behind-the-scenes athlete stories. If you want a daily digest during the Games, bookmark the NBC Olympics Paralympic hub or the CBC Paralympics page.
Team USA at the 2026 Winter Paralympics: Athletes to Watch and Schedule Highlights
The 2026 Winter Paralympics schedule and results USA fans crave will center on America’s strongest sports: para ice hockey, para alpine skiing, and para snowboard. Team USA enters as the defending gold medalist in para ice hockey, and the squad returns core veterans who dominated in Beijing 2022. Expect huge following for the tournament games in Milano.
Top American medal contenders:
- Brittani Coury (para snowboard) – banked slalom specialist
- Oksana Masters (para cross-country and biathlon) – multi-medal threat in sit-ski events
- Declan Farmer (para ice hockey) – one of the most prolific scorers in Paralympic history
Team USA’s medal event schedule starts March 7 with women’s and men’s downhill. The para ice hockey preliminary round begins March 9. NBC Sports will air a daily “Team USA Tonight” show with athlete interviews and medal recaps. The full 2026 Winter Paralympics schedule and results USA dashboard goes live on NBCOlympics.com the week before the Opening Ceremony.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2026 Winter Paralympics
When do the 2026 Winter Paralympics start and end?
March 6 to March 15, 2026. The Opening Ceremony falls on March 6, and the Closing Ceremony closes the Games on March 15.
What time is the 2026 Winter Paralympics opening ceremony?
It starts at 20:00 CET on March 6 at the Verona Arena. Tune in early for pre-show coverage.
Where can I watch the 2026 Winter Paralympics in the USA?
NBC and Peacock hold the full rights. Highlights also air on USA Network.
How many medal events are at the 2026 Winter Paralympics?
79 medal events across six sports—para alpine skiing, para biathlon, para cross-country skiing, para ice hockey, wheelchair curling, and para snowboard.
How can I buy tickets for the 2026 Winter Paralympics?
Buy exclusively through Ticketone, the official ticket partner. Go to milanocortina2026.olympics.com, pick your session, and complete purchase with a verified account.
What sports are included in the 2026 Winter Paralympics?
Para alpine skiing, para biathlon, para cross-country skiing, para ice hockey, wheelchair curling, and para snowboard.
Plan Your Paralympic Experience Before It’s Too Late
The 2026 Winter Paralympics will light up Italy from the Verona Arena to the Dolomites. You now hold every detail: the 2026 Winter Paralympics schedule, the 2026 Winter Paralympics medals breakdown, ticket steps, and where to watch. Pick your sport, buy your tickets, set your reminders, and call your friends. Share this guide with your travel crew so nobody misses a start time or a ticket sale. Check back here for updates as the organizing committee confirms final start lists and broadcast details. See you in Cortina.
Author: Alex Rinaldi, a sports journalist covering Paralympic and adaptive athletics since 2014. Sources: International Paralympic Committee (paralympic.org), Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee (milanocortina2026.olympics.com), NBC Sports, Ticketone, and the IPC’s classification rulebook. Last updated: July 7, 2026.
