The IOC awards the Winter Youth Olympic Games 2028 to Dolomiti Valtellina. Malagò: “A historic day for Italian sport”
The Italian Alps are set to host the next Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in 2028. The decision was made today by the members of the IOC during the 143rd session of the International Olympic Committee held in Lausanne.
Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 will be the fifth edition of the Winter YOG. The competitions will take place exclusively at existing venues across three clusters in Valtellina, Trentino and Cortina, returning to some of the iconic sports facilities that will also be used for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. The 2028 YOG will form part of the legacy of Milano Cortina 2026, reinvesting in communities with strong traditions in winter sports.
The project is led by the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), the regional governments of Veneto and Lombardy, and the Autonomous Province of Trento, with the support of the Government. It is in line with long-term plans to raise the profile of these regions as destinations for winter sports.
The Italian delegation at the Olympic House included Giovanni Malagò (full speech available here), President of CONI and IOC Member for Italy; Andrea Abodi, Minister for Sport and Youth; Attilio Fontana, President of the Lombardy Region; Maurizio Fugatti, President of the Autonomous Province of Trento; Cristiano Corazzari, Councillor for Culture and Sport of the Veneto Region; and Olympic champions Diana Bianchedi and Antonio Rossi.
IOC President Thomas Bach said: “The choice of Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 is a sign of the IOC’s confidence in Italy’s ability to deliver outstanding, world-class winter sports events. The Olympic Movement and the host regions are already excited about Milano Cortina 2026, with just over a year to go before the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Today’s news means that the enthusiasm will continue through to the end of the decade, and the benefits for local communities will carry on.”
Abodi added: “Italy is once again ready to put heart, passion and expertise into hosting an event that will not only be a spectacular sporting occasion but also a significant opportunity for the whole nation’s growth. We aim to inspire younger generations to embrace the values of sport as a tool for inclusion and social cohesion – a universal language capable of uniting cultures and nations and fostering the diplomacy we so need.”
Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 will be possible, Abodi continued, thanks to full collaboration between the Government, the Lombardy Region, the Veneto Region, the Autonomous Province of Trento and CONI. “The organisation of the Winter Youth Olympic Games will be another showcase for the infrastructure delivered by SIMICO – Società Infrastrutture Milano Cortina – leaving further positive legacies in terms of sports facilities, educational programmes and social initiatives that will continue to have an impact long after the YOG 2028 have concluded.”
Karl Stoss, IOC member and Chair of the Future Host Commission for the Olympic Winter Games, the IOC body responsible for monitoring and assessing interest in hosting the Olympic Winter Games and the Winter Youth Olympic Games, presented the IOC’s report on Dolomiti Valtellina 2028. “Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 will consolidate the impact of Milano Cortina 2026 and further build on the legacy programmes to develop young athletes and civic leaders,” said Stoss. “The Commission found that the vision for the Youth Olympic Games is fully aligned with long-term regional plans, youth policies, sport and education initiatives, and the goals of Olympic Agenda 2020 and 2020+5.”
The programme, running from 15 to 29 January 2028, will include all seven Olympic winter sports: biathlon, bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey, luge, skating and skiing.
Seven of the 11 proposed venues for the YOG will already be in use in 2026: the Stelvio slope in Bormio for alpine skiing, the Aerials & Mogul Park and Snow Park in Livigno for freestyle and snowboard, the Sliding Centre in Cortina for bobsleigh, skeleton and luge, the Predazzo ski jumping stadium, the Tesero cross-country ski stadium, and the Cortina Olympic Ice Stadium for curling. There is also the opportunity to host competitions at venues that could not be used for 2026.
No athlete will be more than an hour away from their competition venue, with seven of the 11 venues located within 15 minutes of their respective villages.
A festival of sport, art and local culture will take place throughout 2027, culminating in the Olympic Torch celebrations in December. During the YOG, festival sites will operate in Bormio and Trento.
The YOG will provide young people with a platform to take on leadership roles, practise winter sports and adopt healthier lifestyles. An ambitious series of legacy initiatives will be extended from 2026 to 2028, including Milano Cortina 2026’s “More Movement” goal, promoting 30 minutes of daily exercise and working with national federations to encourage youth participation in competitive sport.
The recent hosting of the Olympic Winter Games will bring efficiencies in areas such as venues, transport infrastructure, workforce and marketing.
The YOG will be managed by a dedicated Organising Committee with a Memorandum of Understanding with Milano Cortina 2026, to foster collaboration between the two entities.
CONI President Giovanni Malagò stated: “This is a historic day for Italian sport and for athletes around the world. Building on the extraordinary legacy of Milano Cortina 2026, Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 will offer a unique opportunity to inspire new generations, showcase the transformative power of sport, and set new benchmarks for global events. This major achievement for our country was made possible thanks to the strong support of the national Government and the dedication of our regional and local partners. Italy and CONI have proven to be reliable partners of the IOC, and together we will certainly deliver an unprecedented edition of the YOG.”
IOC members voted 89 “yes” to Dolomiti Valtellina and 1 “no” out of 90 valid votes, with 2 abstentions.
Il CIO assegna a Dolomiti Valtellina i Giochi Olimpici Giovanili Invernali 2028
