Today at Palazzo Balbi, the Organising Committee of the upcoming Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter
Games unveiled the Milano Cortina 2026 medals, joined by two legends of Italian sport, Federica Pellegrini and Francesca Porcellato. In addition to the host, Luca Zaia, the event was attended by the President of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, Giovanni Malagò, and its CEO, Andrea Varnier, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Matteo Salvini, the Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi, the President of Regione Lombardia, Attilio Fontana, the President of CONI, Luciano Buonfiglio; and the President of the Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP), Marco Giunio De Sanctis. For the President of Regione Veneto, Luca Zaia: “The medals we have seen today are a very powerful symbol: they tell the story of the effort, dedication, and journey that every athlete undertakes to reach the finish line. But they also tell of the silent and essential work of those behind the scenes who make all of this possible: organizers, volunteers, technicians, artisans, and many other indispensable contributors”.

“Milano Cortina 2026,” Zaia adds, “will be a great opportunity for the entire Country. Not just sports and entertainment, but also infrastructure, hospitality, promotion, and employment. Italy has proven it knows how to work as a team, and these Games are the proof. A sincere thank you from Regione Veneto to all those who works every day with passion and expertise to build this event: it is thanks to them that today we can begin to see tangible results. The
medals are only the beginning”.

The medals of the 2026 Games feature an essential design that places emotion and teamwork at its core, symbolising not only the union of two cities, Milano and Cortina, but also the soul of victory and the effort it takes to achieve it. Two halves brought together by the Olympic and Paralympic values. Two dimensions reflecting the culmination of an athlete and Para athlete’s journey, and all of those who stood by their side along the way. This concept becomes a powerful metaphor to portray the story of two worlds coming together, united by the spirit of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games: a world where competition doesn’t divide, but unites. “The medals of Milano Cortina 2026 are much more than mere awards: they are the heartbeat of Italy, the essence of a design that moves, the reflection of a dream taking shape. They encapsulate the identity of a country—its creativity, its passion for sports and beauty,” says Giovanni Malagò, President of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026. “Each medal, whether Olympic or Paralympic, is a story etched into metal: it speaks of effort, determination, sacrifice, and the hopes of those who have lived to reach the podium. But it also tells the story of a Country that believes in the most authentic values of sport. Those who win it will carry with them not just the tribute of victory, but a living fragment of the Italian Spirit—an eternal symbol of what we are capable of dreaming and achieving together”.

The medals are crafted by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato (IPZS), a company wholly owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Founded in 1928, IPZS is a European leader in secure printing solutions, digital identity, and coin minting. The Olympic and Paralympic medals of Milano Cortina 2026 bring together elegance, visual impact, and sustainability. The medals are produced by the IPZS with an eco-friendly, non-toxic, and recyclable protective finish. The energy used by the IPZS comes entirely from renewable sources. According to Paolo Perrone, President of the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, “The medals we have created to celebrate the Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games represent the mastery and excellence of Italian design. Each one is a unique piece, the result of craftsmanship combined with a high level of technological innovation. The Milano Cortina 2026 medals place the athlete and Para athlete at the centre of it all, expressing the universality of sport, the struggle, and the emotion of victory”.

Coherent with the concept of Italian Spirit, vibrant, dynamic, and contemporary, and inspired by the Italian avant-garde, the design of the medals for the Games, developed by the design team of Milano Cortina 2026, embody “the determination and passion of the world’s greatest athletes and Para athletes, but also the Olympic and Paralympic spirits,” explains Raffaella Paniè, Brand, Identity and Look of the Games Director for Milano Cortina 2026. “We conceived a medal that represents purity and a return to essence. With our medals, we celebrate the strength found in difference: two unique halves that join through the Olympic and Paralympic symbols to deliver a bold and unified message. This concept is also reflected in the surfaces of the medals, where two textures meet and begin a story written not only by the athletes and Para athletes, but also by those who supported them: coaches, teammates, family members, and fans”.

In the organisation of the award ceremonies, the athlete and Para athlete experience is paramount and requires meticulous care to create a truly memorable moment. That is why the medal boxes and medal trays hold great significance, and for Milano Cortina 2026 they will be crafted by Versalis (Eni), Official Supporter of the Games, already involved in the creation of the Olympic and Paralympic Torches. Objects of dreams and desire, of commitment and sacrifice, for anyone who has ever practiced a sport, even just once, winning an Olympic medal or a Paralympic medal is one of the highest achievements in sport. And there couldn’t have been two more representative athletes to unveil the most iconic object of the Games. Federica Pellegrini, the greatest Italian swimmer of all time, that won two Olympic medals (1 gold, 1 silver) and 11 World Championship medals (6 golds, 4 silvers, 1 bronze), dominating the 200-metre freestyle for over a decade. Francesca Porcellato, the “flying redhead,” is a true Paralympic icon. She has earned 14 medals at Paralympic Games (3 golds, 4 silvers, 7 bronzes) and 12 World Championship medals across Para athletics, Para cross-country skiing, and Para cycling. She has competed in 9 Summer Paralympic Games (from Seoul 1988 to Paris 2024) and 3 Winter Games (Turin 2006, Vancouver 2010, and Sochi 2014).

KEY FIGURES OF THE MILANO CORTINA 2026 MEDALS
Medals will be awarded in 195 events:
245 gold, 245 silver, and 245 bronze medals will be presented during the Olympic Winter Games.
137 gold, 137 silver, and 137 bronze medals will be awarded during the Paralympic Winter Games.
This brings the grand total to 1146 medals.

FEATURES OF ALL MEDALS
Diameter: 80 mm.
Thickness: 10 mm.

COMPOSITION
Gold Medal
Metal: 999 silver + 999.9 gold.
Weight: 500 grams + 6 grams of gold.
Silver Medal
Metal: 999 silver.
Weight: 500 grams.
Bronze Medal
Metal: Copper.
Weight: 420 grams.