<p class="title">The 2026 Winter Olympics will be staged at the Italian venue of Milan/Cortina d'Ampezzo after beating off a bid from Stockholm/Are in Sweden, the International Olympic Committee said Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Games will run from February 6-22 in 2026. Italy has twice previously hosted the Winter Olympics -- in 1956 in Cortina d'Ampezzo and 2006 in Turin.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Sweden has only hosted the Summer Olympics, in 1912 in Stockholm. IOC members gave the Italian bid the nod by 47 votes to 34.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It's a historic day and a victory of all Italians," said Italy's interior minister Matteo Salvini.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Thank you to those who believed in it from the beginning, especially in the municipalities and regions, and tough luck for those who gave up and who did not believe."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Salvini estimated that the Games will generate five billion euros ($5.69 billion) and create 20,000 jobs.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Congratulations to Milan/Cortina d'Ampezzo. We can expect a great and memorable Winter Games in a country with a tradition of winter sports," said IOC president Thomas Bach.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The passion and knowledge of the Italian fans, combined with the experience of organising events, will create a perfect atmosphere for the best athletes in the world."</p>.<p class="bodytext">On the road to the 2026 decision, bids from Calgary, Graz in Austria, Japan's Sapporo and Sion in Switzerland fell by the wayside, mainly because of concerns over the cost or a lack of popular support.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A bid by the Turkish ski resort of Erzurum was ruled out by the IOC in October 2018.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The bid by Stockholm and the Are ski area -- which hosted the World Ski Championships in February -- had appeared to be running out of steam a few months ago due to a lack of funding commitments before the government swung behind it.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 2022 Winter Olympics will be staged in Beijing. AFP SSC SSC SSC</p>
<p class="title">The 2026 Winter Olympics will be staged at the Italian venue of Milan/Cortina d'Ampezzo after beating off a bid from Stockholm/Are in Sweden, the International Olympic Committee said Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Games will run from February 6-22 in 2026. Italy has twice previously hosted the Winter Olympics -- in 1956 in Cortina d'Ampezzo and 2006 in Turin.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Sweden has only hosted the Summer Olympics, in 1912 in Stockholm. IOC members gave the Italian bid the nod by 47 votes to 34.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It's a historic day and a victory of all Italians," said Italy's interior minister Matteo Salvini.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Thank you to those who believed in it from the beginning, especially in the municipalities and regions, and tough luck for those who gave up and who did not believe."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Salvini estimated that the Games will generate five billion euros ($5.69 billion) and create 20,000 jobs.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Congratulations to Milan/Cortina d'Ampezzo. We can expect a great and memorable Winter Games in a country with a tradition of winter sports," said IOC president Thomas Bach.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The passion and knowledge of the Italian fans, combined with the experience of organising events, will create a perfect atmosphere for the best athletes in the world."</p>.<p class="bodytext">On the road to the 2026 decision, bids from Calgary, Graz in Austria, Japan's Sapporo and Sion in Switzerland fell by the wayside, mainly because of concerns over the cost or a lack of popular support.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A bid by the Turkish ski resort of Erzurum was ruled out by the IOC in October 2018.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The bid by Stockholm and the Are ski area -- which hosted the World Ski Championships in February -- had appeared to be running out of steam a few months ago due to a lack of funding commitments before the government swung behind it.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 2022 Winter Olympics will be staged in Beijing. AFP SSC SSC SSC</p>