The Olympic movement is in a reflective and forward-looking mood in 2026, celebrating a successful Winter Games while building towards a landmark Summer edition.
The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, staged from 6 to 22 February, were hailed as a global success, followed by an estimated 2.6 billion people around the world. The Games continue to generate feel-good stories: figure skater Alysa Liu, who became the first American woman to win Olympic singles gold since 2002, and Para athlete Declan Farmer were recently recognised with ESPY awards for their achievements in Italy.
Attention now shifts firmly to Los Angeles 2028. The Californian city will become just the third to host the Games three times, joining London and Paris, and is set to stage the biggest Olympics in history with a record 353 medal events, up from 329 in Paris 2024.
The programme will have a distinctly fresh feel. Flag football and squash are set to make their Olympic debuts, while baseball, softball, cricket and lacrosse all return to the roster. The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for 14 July 2028, with the Closing Ceremony on the 30th.
For now, the countdown to a historic Los Angeles Games has well and truly begun.
_Reporting compiled from Olympics.com and NBC Sports._