The 2026 Winter Olympics are bringing thousands of athletes from around the world together for more than two weeks of competition — and the Games are a gold mine for statistics.

Mariah Carey took center stage to help kick off the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony at 100-year-old San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy.

Upcoming Olympic cycles include the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games and 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games. Check out essential event information now.

Each day in this space, we’ll call out the biggest events on the upcoming schedule. For the first edition, check out Steven Louis Goldstein’s overview of the biggest things to know for the U.S. viewer. Here are some of the highlights:

O’Brien, like many others, did most of her early career training at Palisades Tahoe. Other Sierra-based athletes include Tahoe City resident and three-time Olympian Bryce Bennett, who will be competing in speed events as a new dad, and two-time Olympians and close friends Keely Cashman, from Strawberry, and AJ Hurt, from Carnelian Bay.

Learn the basics of Olympic bobsled—explore all events (2-man, 4-man, 2-woman, monobob), key rules of racing, how timing and scoring work, and how athletes and teams compete for medals at Milan Cortina 2026.

Don't miss the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony. Here's how to watch live, stream for free and catch replays.