Milano, Cortina, Italy 06 Feb – 15 Mar 2026
Source: Olympische Winterspiele™ · 6. bis 22. Februar 2026 | Paralympische Winterspiele™ · 6. bis 15. März 2026
The history of the Olympic Winter Games is a century-long journey that began with a “winter sports week” in the French Alps and evolved into a global phenomenon.
1. The Pre-Winter Era (1901–1923)
Before a dedicated Winter Olympics existed, winter sports faced significant resistance.
- The Nordic Games: Starting in 1901, Sweden hosted the “Nordic Games” every few years. Scandinavian countries initially opposed a Winter Olympics because they feared it would overshadow their own event.
- Early Olympic Winter Sports: Despite the lack of a separate winter event, Figure Skating appeared at the 1908 London Summer Games, and Ice Hockey debuted at the 1920 Antwerp Summer Games.
2. The Inaugural Games: Chamonix 1924
The first true Winter Olympics took place in Chamonix, France, in 1924.
- Original Name: It was originally called “International Winter Sports Week.” It was so successful that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) retroactively named it the first Olympic Winter Games in 1926.
- The Sports: Only six sports were featured: bobsled, curling, ice hockey, skating (figure and speed), and skiing (cross-country and ski jumping).
- First Medalist: American speed skater Charles Jewtraw became the first-ever Winter Olympic gold medalist by winning the 500-meter race.
3. Key Milestones & Transformations
The Games have undergone several massive shifts in format and reach over the decades:
| Year | Location | Major Milestone |
| 1932 | Lake Placid, USA | First time the podium (victory stand) was used for medal ceremonies. |
| 1952 | Oslo, Norway | The first time the Winter Games were held in a Scandinavian country. |
| 1956 | Cortina, Italy | First Games to be televised (though only to European audiences). |
| 1968 | Grenoble, France | First Games to be broadcast live in color. |
| 1972 | Sapporo, Japan | First Winter Olympics hosted outside Europe or North America. |
| 1980 | Lake Placid, USA | Famous for the “Miracle on Ice” (US hockey victory over the USSR). |
| 1994 | Lillehammer, Norway | The first time the Winter Games were held in a different year from the Summer Games. |
| 2022 | Beijing, China | Beijing became the first city to host both a Summer (2008) and Winter Olympics. |
4. Evolution of the Schedule
For nearly 70 years, the Summer and Winter Games occurred in the same calendar year. In 1986, the IOC voted to place them on separate four-year cycles to give the Winter Games more visibility and allow for better sponsorship opportunities. This resulted in a one-time two-year gap between the 1992 Games (Albertville) and the 1994 Games (Lillehammer).
5. The Future
The next edition, the 2026 Winter Olympics, will return to Italy (Milano-Cortina), marking the first time the Games will be officially hosted by two major cities.
