Just days before Saturday’s (March 31) deadline to submit letters-of-interest to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Cortina d’Ampezzo has raised its hand among two other Italian prospects to vie for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. In a press release late last week Mayor Gianpietro Ghedina said his town “expresses its interest in the candidature to host the Olympic Winter and Paralympic Games of 2026, with the forecast of a possible involvement of the entire Dolomite territory.”

Still in its early stages, the bid will still need to secure support from outlying regions that would need to participate in the project – and required a nomination domestically from among Turin and Milan – two other cities actively campaigning for the Italian Olympic Committee’s (CONI) endorsement to the IOC.  CONI is expected to forward a letter before the deadline, but will need to narrow to a single city shortly thereafter.