AP coverage advisory: 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy

Editors and news directors:

The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held Feb. 4-22 in Milan, Cortina and other sites across Northern Italy. To help you prepare, some of AP’s coverage plans are below in an advisory that will be updated through January. The content is grouped by topic area and, farther below, in chronological order of publication.

You can also find Olympics stories, photos, videos and interactives on the Olympics coverage hub within APNewsroom. An up-to-the minute listing of all stories planned, including spot news and events, will always be available in Coverage Plan on AP Newsroom.

For questions, please contact Karl Ritter (karitter@ap.org) and Dave Zelio (dzelio@ap.org). This is the final update of this pre-Games advisory.

Key dates

Feb. 4: Competition begins.

Feb. 6: Opening ceremony.

Feb. 7: First gold medal events.

Feb. 8: Gold medal, women’s Alpine skiing downhill.

Feb. 13: Gold medal, men’s figure skating.

Feb. 18: Gold medal, women’s Alpine skiing slalom.

Feb. 19: Gold medal, women’s figure skating. Gold medal game, women’s ice hockey.

Feb. 22: Gold medal game, men’s ice hockey. Closing ceremony.

Full competition schedule is here. 

All-formats coverage

— Text: AP will provide full coverage of the top competitions throughout the Winter Games, including all medal events. A daily What To Watch guide will also be sent, beginning Feb. 4.

— Photos: AP will provide images from every venue during competition and select images away from venues. Daily photo galleries are planned along with Behind The Photo features. 

— Video: AP Video will be available from outside venues across northern Italy, including select Live feeds. 

— Interactives: AP is offering a suite of Winter Games interactives, including a medal count table that will be updated immediately after each medal event and display the medal standings by country. AP will also offer an interactive “hometown heroes” map showing where each U.S. Olympian and Paralympian is from, a full schedule of events with a medal events filter, and a Winter Games venue map. Please go here for additional information or contact interactiveproducts@ap.org.

— Agate: AP will provide daily schedules and medals tables, updated after each medal event. The only individual sport agate available will be for men’s and women’s hockey, with game sums and glances (scores, schedule and group stage standings). For more information, contact Barry Bedlan at bbedlan@ap.org.

Preview content

AP has published a robust lineup of preview stories, photos and video between Jan. 5 and the opening of the games. The Coverage Plan link carries up-to-the-minute plans and some will be highlighted in updates of this advisory. 

A Localize It guide with basic biographical details on each U.S. Olympian and Paralympian will be provided ahead of competition, as will AP SPORTS EXTRA — WINTER GAMES EDITION, a paginated general preview page of the Games, presented in broadsheet, half-broadsheet and tabloid options, is available. 

AP has published digital-friendly, formatted previews for every Olympic sport, updating them as needed until competition begins Feb. 4. Each is approximately 400 words, accompanied by photos:

Jan. 5: Alpine skiing,
ski mountaineering, curling.

Jan. 6: Bobsled,
luge,
skeleton.

Jan. 7: Freestyle skiing,
snowboarding,
short-track speedskating.

Jan. 8: Figure skating,
ice hockey,
speedskating.

Jan. 9: Biathlon,
cross-country,
Nordic combined,
ski jumping.

A general text preview – OLY–Milan Cortina-Preview – will be sent Feb. 5.

Spotlight: The challenges of climate change

OLY—WINTER OLYMPICS-FUTURE GAMES — Belgian biathlete Maya Cloetens is concerned about the future of winter sports in a warming world. Training in Grenoble, France, she’s noticed shorter, milder winters with less consistent snow. She’s not alone. There are mounting questions about which locations can host winter sports as the Earth warms. Grenoble, once a Winter Games site, is no longer considered “climate reliable” by experts. The International Olympic Committee is considering rotating the Games among locations with sufficient snow and infrastructure. The reliance on artificial snow is increasing, but it has limits. The IOC is planning sustainable practices to protect winter sports for future generations. By Jennifer McDermott and Pat Graham. 750 words, photos Jan. 13. With OLY–Milan Cortina-Snow Maker sent Jan. 23.

Also: OLY—MILAN CORTINA OLYMPICS-FOSSIL FUELS, sent Feb. 4.

OLY—MILAN CORTINA 2026-CLIMATE TRAINING — Many athletes say climate change is shaping their training and the future of their sport. Inconsistent weather is challenging for athletes preparing for events like the Olympics. Sports such as ski mountaineering, which will make its Olympic debut, may have to hold races at higher elevations in the future. By Jennifer McDermott and Pat Graham. 750 words, photos Oct. 29.

Spotlight: Diversity at the Winter Games

OLY–WINTER OLYMPICS-DIVERSITY — As the Winter Olympics approach, organizations are working to broaden who gets the chance to compete. Milan-Cortina is expected to showcase a more diverse field, supported by expanded development programs aimed at nations with limited winter-sports infrastructure. The competition will still be dominated by white athletes, but the efforts to build lasting pathways for future competitors of color are stronger than ever, organizers say. By Fernanda Figueroa. 800 words, photos Feb. 2.

Also sent:

OLY–WINTER OLYMPICS-THE FIRST — Four years ago, American speedskater Erin Jackson became the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at a Winter Olympics. She doesn’t want to be the last. That’s one of Jackson’s goals, along with bringing home more hardware from the Milan Cortina Games. By Howard Fendrich. 650 words, photos Jan. 29.

OLY–WINTER OLYMPICS-DIVERSITY-EUROPE — Sweden’s Olympic ski team is set to be entirely white and ethnically Swedish, hardly a reflection of a country that has become dramatically more diverse since the turn of the century. In Europe, immigration from Africa and the Middle East is rapidly changing the demographics of countries like Germany, France, Norway and Sweden, but that’s not reflected in their Winter Olympics rosters. By Steve Douglas. 700 words, photos Jan. 26.

OLY–WINTER OLYMPICS-DIVERSITY-EDWARDS — Laila Edwards has already accomplished plenty in a budding women’s hockey career. At 21, she’s already been on teams that won world and NCAA titles. In February, the first Black women to suit up for Team USA is set to make her Olympic debut with the potential to be the face of her sport. By Hockey Writer John Wawrow. 700 words, photos, video Jan. 22. With OLY–HKW-Edwards-GoFundMe, sent Jan. 29.

OLY–WINTER OLYMPICS-DIVERSITY-US — About half of the athletes on the U.S. World Cup bobsled team this winter are Black. The best women’s skeleton athlete the U.S. has is a person of color. Team USA tends to be one of the most diverse at any Olympics and the one going to Italy is no exception. By Tim Reynolds. 650 words, photos Jan. 14.

OLY–WINTER OLYMPICS-DIVERSITY-TEAM JAMAICA — It’s been a whirlwind winter for Helaina, Henri IV and Henniyah Rivers in their quest to represent Jamaica, a nation known more for sprinting than skiing, at the Winter Games. As Black ski racers in a predominantly white sport, they see making the team as a way to open doors for more racers of color to follow in their tracks. By Pat Graham and Brittany Peterson. 750 words, photos, video Jan. 8.

Spotlight: Pushing the limit

OLY—PUSHING BOUNDARIES — All athletes at the Olympic level push themselves to the limits of their sport, based on endurance, the rules and what the human body can do. American gymnast Simone Biles has done things no one else could but reached the point where her brain told her it was lost and she needed to pause. At the Winter Games, those boundaries include something different: Much more than summer sports, winter sports is a battle with nature itself and that’s what makes it special. By Will Graves. 750 words, photos Feb. 10.

Already sent:

OLY—SPD-SPEEDSKATING-SECRET TECH — It’s called Slippery Fish, a Team USA project using computer technology aimed at shaving fractions of a second off speedskating times to help the Americans bring home gold medals from the Olympics. By Howard Fendrich. 700 words, photos Feb. 2. 

OLY–SBD-SPINNING FOUR WAYS — Though snowboarding loves to flaunt its massive jumps and daring flips, it’s the ability to spin four ways — riding forward and backward, then spinning either clockwise or counterclockwise from either direction — that’s considered one of the sport’s holy grails. Those technical tricks could make the difference between silver and gold at the Milan Cortina Olympics. By Eddie Pells. 700 words, photos Jan. 29.

OLY–FIG-SKATING INNOVATION — Ilia Malinin landed the elusive quad axel jump a few years ago, sparking questions about the future of figure skating. The sport’s six main jumps have remained unchanged since the early 1900s, with only the number of revolutions increasing. Malinin’s achievement may have reached the limits of human performance, as experts believe a five-revolution jump is impossible and the rigid scoring system discourages innovation. Some skaters, like Jason Brown, suggest the next step could be rewarding artistic storytelling rather than extreme athletic feats. By Dave Skretta. 650 words, photos Jan. 16. With OLY–FIG-Pushing The Limit sent Dec. 1.

Spotlight: Italy the Olympic host

OLY–CORTINA’S PASTA – Every corner of Italy has its own culinary traditions and in Winter Olympics co-host Cortina d’Ampezzo the signature dish is the colorful, stuffed pasta known as casunzei. AP asked a chef at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Cortina to demonstrate how to make it. By Andrew Dampf. 500 words, photos, video Feb. 4.

Also sent:

OLY—WINTER GAMES-ITALY-LADIN MINORITY — The Ladin community that first settled the Dolomite hamlet of Anpezo – now the two-time Olympic host city of Cortina d’Ampezzo – has given up hope of having its cultural identity officially represented at the Winter Olympics, the way China represented 56 minorities in 2022 and the Sami people were highlighted at Lillehammer. Ladins will wave the flag themselves. By Colleen Barry. 750 words, photos Jan. 28.

OLY–CORTINA’S AXIS GAMES – Winter Olympics fans may know Cortina d’Ampezzo hosted the Winter Games once before, in 1956. Less well known is that during World War II, the Italian town hosted world ski championships that served as a propaganda showcase for Nazi Germany and fascist Italy. By Andrew Dampf. 700 words, photos Jan. 27.

OLY—SKI-ITALY’S NEW STAR — Giovanni Franzoni is host Italy’s new skiing standout for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Franzoni won the downhill on the legendary Streif course in Kitzbühel over the weekend to follow up his first World Cup win a week earlier in Wengen. Now he’s among the favorites for the Olympic downhill on the first full day of the Games. By Andrew Dampf. 600 words, photos Jan. 26.

OLY–ITALY-LEONARDO — Milan cultural officials are allowing visitors to view a long-hidden wall painting by Leonardo da Vinci while restoration work continues. The vast painting, located inside Milan’s Sforza Castle, was first concealed when the castle was turned into a military barracks and only found at the beginning of the last century. By Niccolo Lupone. 375 words, photos Jan. 21. With OLY—Milan-Cortina-Cauldrons.

OLY—REL-CATHOLIC CHURCH — As Milan prepares to host the 2026 Winter Olympics, the city’s Catholic archdiocese launched a multi-year program that uses sport to promote values such as inclusion and solidarity among children and adolescents. Through parish youth centers, schools and community initiatives — including a traveling Olympic torch and encounters with athletes — the project seeks to translate the spirit of the Games into everyday pastoral life. By Maria Teresa Hernandez. 650 words, photos Jan. 11.

OLY—CORTINA’S CURLERS — Curling could not have a more fitting host city for the upcoming Olympics than Cortina d’Ampezzo. The town in the Dolomites is home to Italy’s first curling gold medalist and defending mixed doubles champion Stefania Constantini and Mayor Gianluca Lorenzi is a former member of Italy’s national team and the son of the sport’s founding father in Italy. By Andrew Dampf. 600 words, photos Dec. 9.

The venues

OLY—MILAN CORTINA-SAN SIRO – San Siro’s last stand: What to know about Milan’s iconic stadium ahead of the Winter Olympics opening ceremony. By Daniella Matar. 600 words, photos Feb. 5.

Also sent:

OLY—MILAN CORTINA-SPREAD-OUT GAMES — Covering a large swath or northern Italy, the Milan Cortina Olympics will be the most spread-out Winter Games in history, posing unique challenges for both athletes and spectators. By Colleen Barry. 700 words, photos Feb. 3.

OLY—CORTINA-OLYMPIC-VILLAGE TOUR — Athletes at the Cortina Olympic Village on Tuesday chatted at an outdoor coffee stand, traded their unique national team pins and took in the atmosphere of the Dolomites as snow steadily fell. By Jennifer McDermott. 600 words, photos Feb. 3.

OLY—MILAN CORTINA-OLYMPICS TRAMS PHOTO GALLERY — Images of Milan’s iconic trams from AP photographer Luca Bruno, sent Feb. 1.

OLY–SKI-ITALYS ICONIC COURSES — The Milan Cortina Winter Games will feature Alpine ski racing held on iconic and familiar courses steeped in history for the first time since 2010. The men’s events take place on the demanding Stelvio in Bormio, where Bode Miller’s one-ski run in 2005 remains legendary. The women will race on the Olympia delle Tofane track in Cortina. It’s a hill known for its rhythmic nature but has plenty of teeth to it. Lindsey Vonn’s record-breaking win in Cortina in 2015 was overshadowed by Tiger Woods’ missing tooth incident. Mikaela Shiffrin’s 2021 success in Cortina contrasts with her 2024 crash. By Andrew Dampf and Pat Graham. 700 words, photos Jan. 14.

OLY–SPD-MILAN CORTINA ICE MASTER — Olympic officials have brought on ice master Mark Messer to prepare the speedskating rink for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games. This is the first time Olympic speedskaters will compete on a temporary indoor rink. Messer, a veteran of six previous Olympic tracks, has been working since late October at the new Speed Skating Stadium in Rho, Italy. The ice must be hard, cold, and smooth for optimal performance. By Colleen Barry. 650 words, photos Jan. 12. Also: OLY–Milan Cortina-Snow Maker sent Jan. 23.

OLY—HKO-SMALLER ICE — Hockey at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics will be played on slightly shorter ice than NHL regulation size. The rinks will measure 60 meters by 26 meters, approved by the International Ice Hockey Federation. The IIHF confirmed the dimensions, stating they should not impact safety or gameplay quality but the news came after word that construction of the main hockey arena is behind schedule. By Daniella Matar and Stephen Whyno. 700 words, photos Dec. 8.

OLY–CORTINA-OLYMPIC VILLAGE – A look inside the trailer -park Olympic village where Cortina-based athletes are supposed to stay. The Norwegians say they won’t. What about everyone else? By Andrew Dampf. 700 words, photo, video Nov. 29. 

OLY—MILAN CORTINA VENUES — Northern Italy is gearing up for the Milan-Cortina Olympics, set to be the most widespread Winter Games ever. The 2026 Games will utilize mostly existing venues, embracing cost-cutting reforms. A look at the venues. By Daniella Matar. 700 words, photos Oct. 29.

Quirky, fun and uplifting stories

OLY—SPD-THE PINK BACKPACK — There is a reason American speedskater Casey Dawson schleps around a pink backpack and goofy phone case with a plastic foot attached to it. It involves, of all things, fantasy football. By Howard Fendrich. 600 words, photos. Feb. 5.

Also sent:

OLY—CORTINA-OLYMPIC-VILLAGE TOUR — Athletes at the Cortina Olympic Village on Tuesday chatted at an outdoor coffee stand, traded their unique national team pins and took in the atmosphere of the Dolomites as snow steadily fell. By Jennifer McDermott. 600 words, photos Feb. 3.

OLY–LUG-LUGE’S LOVE STORY – USA Luge veteran Emily Sweeney is now Emily Fischnaller. Her husband, Dominik Fischnaller, races for Italy. After more than a decade together, both have a real chance to win gold on a track less than an hour away from their home. By Tim Reynolds. 700 words, photos Feb. 1.

OLY—BOB-US-WOMEN-HAIR — The U.S. Olympic women’s bobsled and skeleton racers have been preparing for the Milan Cortina Games. This week, they took a unique step by flying hairstylist Jessica Sinclair from California to Austria. Sinclair, a past client of five-time Olympic bobsled medalist Elana Meyers Taylor, helped the athletes feel refreshed and confident. By Tim Reynolds. 600 words, photo Jan. 29.

OLY—XXC-TEAM AVALANCHE — Cross-country skiers from non-traditional winter sports countries have been helping each other out over the past year as they tried to qualify for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. They’re all part of WhatsApp group dubbed “Team Avalanche,” which started as a forum for giving tips and advice and evolved into a place where athletes coordinate travel and training plans and join forces to defray costs. There are more than 60 members and more than 40 countries are represented. By Ken Maguire. 600 words, photos Jan. 10.

OLY–SKI-RYDINGS PLASTIC SLOPE – A modest, 140-meter-long ski slope in northwest England stands out for its plastic matting and sheep roaming all around.It has produced a World Cup-winning slalom racer, Dave Ryding, who will be a medal contender at the upcoming Winter Olympics. By Steve Douglas. 650 words, photos and photo gallery Jan. 7.

OLY–INDIA-SKIER INSPIRES — Most of Bhavani Thekkada’s competitors grew up on skis. She grew up on a coffee farm in southern India. So as a cross-country skier, she’s a little behind. Thekkada has been hitting European tracks in recent weeks trying to keep her Olympic dream alive. Her bronze medal in a recent race in Chile was hailed as India’s first international medal in women’s cross-country. By Ken Maguire. 600 words, photos Dec. 10.

OLY—CORTINAS 40 YEAR OLDS — Lindsey Vonn, Laillie Humphries Armbruster and Elana Meyers Taylor are in the “40-and-over American women medal contenders” category competing in Cortina d’Ampezzo during the upcoming Olympics. By Andrew Dampf. 600 words, photos Nov. 20.

AP Olympic content by date Jan. 5-Feb. 5 

This list is subject to change and updating until the opening ceremony Feb. 6. An up-to-the minute listing of all stories planned, including spot news and events, will always be available in Coverage Plan on AP Newsroom.

Monday, Jan. 5:

OLY—BIA-Laser Rifles — Laser rifle program, new shooting ranges means growth for biathlon in the US. By Martha Bellisle. 700 words, photos.

OLY—SKI-Alpine Skiing-Preview – What to know about Alpine skiing at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 500 words, photos.

OLY—SMO-Ski Mountaineering-Preview – What to know about ski mountaineering at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 500 words, photos.

OLY—CUR-Curling-Preview – What to know about curling at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 500 words, photos.

Tuesday, Jan. 6:

OLY—BOB-Bobsled-Preview — What to know about bobsled at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 500 words, photos.

OLY—LUG-Luge-Preview – What to know about luge at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 500 words, photos.

OLY—SKE-Skeleton-Preview — What to know about skeleton at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 500 words, photos.

Wednesday, Jan. 7:

OLY–SKI-Ryding’s Plastic Slope – How a 140-meter plastic slope dotted with sheep shaped Britain’s top skier at the Winter Olympics. By Steve Douglas. 700 words, photos and photo gallery.

OLY—Italy-Medal Hopes — Goggia, Fontana and Wierer among Italy’s medal hopes at home Winter Olympics. By Daniella Matar. 700 words, photos.

OLY—FRE-Freestyle Skiing-Preview — What to know about freestyle skiing at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 500 words, photos.

OLY—SBD-Snowboarding-Preview — What to know about snowboarding at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 500 words, photos.

OLY—SPD-Short Track-Preview — What to know about short track speedskating at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 500 words, photos.

Thursday, Jan. 8:

OLY—SKI-Winter Olympics-Diversity-Team Jamaica – Brooklyn-born triplets Henniyah, Helaina, and Henri Rivers do everything together, including ski racing. Now the teenagers are hoping to represent Jamaica at the Milan Cortina Winter Games. By Pat Graham. 700 words, photos, video.

OLY—FIG-Figure Skating-Preview — What to know about figure skating at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 500 words, photos.

OLY—HKO-Hockey-Preview — What to know about ice hockey at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 500 words, photos.

OLY—SPD-Speedskating-Preview — What to know about speedskating at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 500 words, photos.

Friday, Jan. 9:

OLY—Milan Cortina-Russia – A lonely, controversial Milan Cortina Olympics beckons for the few Russian ‘neutral’ athletes. By Pavel Bednyakov and James Ellingworth. 700 words, photos, video.

OLY—BIA-Biathlon-Preview — What to know about biathlon at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 500 words, photos.

OLY—XXC-Cross-Country-Preview — What to know about cross-country skiing at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 500 words, photos.

OLY—NOR-Nordic Combined-Preview — What to know about Nordic combined at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 500 words, photos.

OLY—JUM-Ski Jumping-Preview — What to know about ski jumping at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. 500 words, photos.

Saturday, Jan. 10:

OLY—XXC-Team Avalanche – ‘Team Avalanche’ unites cross-country skiing Olympic hopefuls from small countries. By Ken Maguire. 650 words, photos.

Sunday, Jan. 11:

OLY–REL-Catholic Church — Milan’s Catholic archdiocese brings Olympic values into parish life. By Maria Hernandez. 700 words, photos.

Be Well-Train As An Olympian — The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee employs 15 full-time psychologists to help elite American athletes mentally prepare. Tips on sleep, dealing with pressure, nutrition, travel recovery and more. By Stephen Wade. 700 words, photos.

Monday, Jan. 12:

OLY—SPD-Milan Cortina-Ice Master — Canadian ice master makes Olympic history with the Games’ 1st indoor temporary speed skating rink. By Colleen Barry. 700 words, photos, video.

OLY–SKI-US Women’s Ski Team Photo Essay — AP photojournalist Jacquelyn Martin spent time behind the scenes with members of the U.S. women’s ski team during training in Colorado. 500 words, photos.

Tuesday, Jan. 13:

OLY—Winter Olympics-Future Games — How will climate change reshape Winter Olympics? Experts warn it’s a threat for sites that can host. By Jennifer McDermott and Pat Graham. 700 words, photos, video.

Wednesday, Jan. 14:

OLY—Winter Olympics-Diversity-US – About half of the athletes on the U.S. World Cup bobsled team this winter are Black. The best women’s skeleton athlete the U.S. has is a person of color. Team USA tends to be one of the most diverse at any Olympics and the one going to Italy is no exception. By Tim Reynolds. 650 words, photos.

OLY—SKI-Italy’s Iconic Courses – The Milan Cortina Winter Games will feature Alpine ski racing on iconic courses steeped in the sport’s history. By Andrew Dampf and Pat Graham. 700 words, photos.

Thursday, Jan. 15: 

OLY–HKO-US Gold Medal Expectations – USA Hockey general manager Bill Guerin told players at Olympic orientation that nothing short of a gold medal will suffice in Milan. By Stephen Whyno. 700 words, photos.

OLY–SBD-Shaun White-Next Chapter — Newly retired and now trying to shape his sport from outside of the halfpipe he once dominated, Shaun White tells The Associated Press he fully expects his upcoming trip to Italy – the country where he won the first of his three gold medals – to be an emotional and much different ride. By Eddie Pells. 650 words, photos.

Friday, Jan. 16:

OLY—FIG-Skating Innovation — Has figure skating reached the limits of human performance? If so, what comes next? By David Skretta. 700 words, photos.

OLY–Russia-Ukraine War-Olympics — Ukraine’s Chernihiv biathlon hub remains in ruins after Russia’s 2022 invasion. Despite bombed-out buildings, mines in the forest and constant air-raid threats, children and Olympic hopefuls continue to train on its damaged ski tracks. Local leaders hope to rebuild the facility after the conflict, seeing sports as resilience amid war. By Illia Novikov. 700 words, photos. With OLY—Russia-Ukraine-War-Olympics-Photo-Gallery by Julia Demaree Nikhinson.

Saturday, Jan. 17:

OLY–BIA-US-Wright — New Zealander gives the US hope for a first-ever biathlon Olympic medal. By Martha Bellisle. 700 words, photos.

Sunday, Jan. 18:

OLY—FIG-Reeds Journey – From being treated like “cattle” as a young girl to sleeping in her car off a Polish highway, Allison Reed has taken a long, hard road to follow her Olympic ice dance dream. By James Ellingworth. 700 words, photos.

Monday, Jan. 19:

OLY–SBD-New Zealand’s Star — Three-time Olympic medalist Zoi Sadowski-Synnott put New Zealand on the snowboarding map with her gold and silver in Beijing. Four years later she tells The Associated Press she is “all in” for bringing her best new tricks to the slopestyle and big air events at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in February. By Joe Wilson. 700 words, photos.

Tuesday, Jan. 20:

OLY—HKO-North America-Dominance – The U.S. has carved out a dominant role in hockey alongside Canada, the cradle of the sport. That has yielded more fans, money, attention and a fierce cross-border rivalry, but it’s also come with growing pains. By Stephen Whyno. 700 words, photos.

OLY—SMO-Gibson’s New Trail — Anna Gibson transitioned from trail running to a new Olympic sport in just seven months. The elite runner and her longtime friend Cameron Smith will compete in mixed relay as ski mountaineering makes its debut next month in Italy. By Pat Graham. 700 words, photos, video by Brittany Peterson.

OLY–Italy-Leonardo — Milan cultural officials are allowing visitors to view a long-hidden wall painting by Leonardo da Vinci while restoration work continues. The vast painting, located inside Milan’s Sforza Castle, was first concealed when the castle was turned into a military barracks and only found at the beginning of the last century. By Niccolo Lupone. 375 words, photos .

Wednesday, Jan. 21:

OLY–FIG-Malinin – Ilia Malinin is the best skater of his generation. Olympic glory could make him the best of any. By Dave Skretta. 700 words, photos.

Thursday, Jan. 22:

OLY—Winter Olympics-Diversity-Edwards – At 21, Laila Edwards has already won a world and Frozen Four championship. In February, the first Black women to suit up for Team USA is set to make her debut on the Olympic stage. By John Wawrow. 700 words, photos, video.

OLY—JUM-Suit Scandal – How Norway’s ski jumping scandal led to new rules in place for Winter Olympics. By Brian Melley. 700 words, photos.

Friday, Jan. 23:

OLY—SBD-Chloe Kim — Chloe Kim could become the first snowboarder to win three straight Olympic titles this winter when she hits the halfpipe in the Italian Alps. More in question is whether she can enjoy the journey this time and if she can shake off a shoulder injury. By Eddie Pells. 700 words, photos.

OLY—SPD-Stolz – The next big thing in U.S. speedskating, 21-year-old Jordan Stolz, is expected to be one of the faces of the Milan Cortina Winter Games. By Howard Fendrich. 700 words, photos.

OLY–Milan Cortina-Snow Maker – Italian snowmaking expert Davide Cerato is responsible for perfecting courses that athletes will compete on during the 2026 Winter Games. He feels the weight of the responsibility. By Jennifer McDermott and Pat Graham. 700 words, photos.

Saturday, Jan. 24:

OLY–HKO-Lost Olympic Generation  – A generation of hockey players from Connor McDavid to Auston Matthews and Nathan MacKinnon grew up expecting to be part of the Olympics and have not gotten that chance until now. By Stephen Whyno. 700 words, photos. With OLY—HKO-Injury-Questions sent Jan. 23.

Sunday, Jan. 25:

OLY–FIG–Skating’s Safe Space – How figure skating became a comfort zone for the LGBTQ+ community in difficult times. By Dave Skretta. 700 words, photos.

Monday, Jan. 26:

OLY—Winter Olympics-Diversity-Europe — Immigration from Africa and the Middle East is rapidly changing the demographics of European countries like Germany, France, Norway and Sweden, but that’s not reflected in their Winter Olympics rosters. By Steve Douglas. 700 words, photos.

OLY–SKI-Pinheiro Braathen — A Brazilian skier at the Winter Olympics? Lucas Pinheiro Braathen could make history. By Daniella Matar. 700 words, photos.

Tuesday, Jan. 27:

OLY–Cortina’s Axis Games – Winter Olympics fans may know Cortina d’Ampezzo hosted the Winter Games once before, in 1956. Less well known is that during World War II, the Italian town hosted world ski championships that served as a propaganda showcase for Nazi Germany and fascist Italy. By Andrew Dampf. 700 words, photos.

Wednesday, Jan. 28:

OLY—Winter Olympics-Italy-Ladin Minority — The Ladin community that first settled the Dolomite hamlet of Anpezo – now the two-time Olympic host city of Cortina d’Ampezzo – has given up any hope of having its unique cultural identity officially represented at the Winter Olympics, the way China represented 56 minorities in 2022 and the Sami people were highlighted at Lillehammer. Ladins will wave the flag themselves. By Colleen Barry. 750 words, photos.

OLY—FIG-Washington-Midair Collision-Skater — The close-knit figure skating community was rocked on Jan. 29, 2025, when an American Airlines jet carrying young athletes, their parents and coaches collided with a military helicopter over the Potomac River. Perhaps nobody was more affected than Maxim Naumov, who is preparing for his first Olympics. By Dave Skretta. 700 words, photos.

OLY—HKW-Game Of Queens — Hilary Knight of the United States and Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin are set to renew hockey’s fiercest rivalry on the Olympic stage, possibly for the final time. By John Wawrow. 700 words, photos.

OLY–XXC-Diggins — U.S. cross-country star Jesse Diggins wraps up a storied career this season seeking Olympic gold. By Derek Gatapoulos. 650 words, photos.

Thursday, Jan. 29:

OLY—Winter Olympics-Diversity-The First – Four years ago, American speedskater Erin Jackson became the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at a Winter Olympics. She doesn’t want to be the last. By Howard Fendrich. 700 words, photos. 

OLY–SBD-Spinning Four Ways — Though snowboarding loves to flaunt its massive jumps and daring flips, it’s the ability to spin four ways — riding forward and backward, then spinning either clockwise or counterclockwise from either direction — that’s considered one of the sport’s holy grails. Those technical tricks could make the difference between silver and gold at the Milan Cortina Olympics. By Eddie Pells. 700 words, photos.

Friday, Jan. 30:

OLY—Olympic Truce-Explainer – What is the Olympic truce and does it have any real-world impact? By Derek Gatopoulos. 600 words, photos.

OLY—Australia’s Italian Home – Australia will have a hint of home advantage at the Winter Olympics. For 15 years, Australia has had a training center an hour away from Milan where it has tried to create for its athletes a “home away from home,” right down to the coffee and Vegemite. By Daniella Matar. 600 words, photos.

Saturday, Jan. 31:

OLY–Winter Games-Future Sports — Olympic program review opens path to relax Winter Games mandate for only sports on snow and ice. By Graham Dunbar. 700 words, photos.

OLY—SBD-Ester Ledecka – It’s been eight years since Ester Ledecka did what was once thought impossible – winning a gold medal with skis on, then switching to a snowboard and winning another. She will go for a third straight Olympic title. By Joseph Wilson. 700 words, photos.

Sunday, Feb. 1:

OLY—FRE-Eileen Gu – The biggest action-sports star in the world competes for China, not the United States. Freeskier Eileen Gu is moving into the second chapter of an Olympic career that is defined by much more than what she does on the mountain. By Eddie Pells. 700 words, photos.

OLY–LUG-Luge’s Love Story – USA Luge veteran Emily Sweeney is now Emily Fischnaller. Her husband, Dominik Fischnaller, races for Italy. After more than a decade together, both have a real chance to win gold on a track less than an hour away from their home. By Tim Reynolds. 700 words, photos.

OLY—Milan-Cortina-Olympics-Trams-Photo-Gallery — Images of Milan’s iconic trams from AP photographer Luca Bruno.

Monday, Feb. 2:

OLY–Winter Olympics-Diversity – The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics is expected to showcase a more diverse field of athletes, supported by expanded development programs aimed at nations with limited winter-sports infrastructure. The competition will still be dominated by white athletes, but the efforts to build lasting pathways for future competitors of color are stronger than ever, organizers say. By Fernanda Figueroa. 700 words, photos.

OLY—SKI-Vonn’s Place — For Lindsey Vonn, Cortina d’Ampezzo represents more than just the town where she’s going to try and win an Olympic medal at age 41 if she rebounds from a knee injury in time. It’s a place full of fond memories — and wins. By Andrew Dampf. 650 words, photos.

OLY—SPD-Speedskating-Secret Tech — It’s called Slippery Fish, a Team USA project using computer technology aimed at shaving fractions of a second off speedskating times to help the Americans bring home gold medals from the Winter Olympics. By Howard Fendrich. 700 words, photos. 

OLY–HKW-PWHL-Impact — The Professional Women’s Hockey League is gearing up for its international coming-out part at the Milan Cortina Games, with 61 players making up the 10-nation team tournament rosters, with a majority of them Americans and Canadians. By John Wawrow. 650 words, photos. 

Tuesday, Feb. 3:

OLY—Milan-Cortina-Spread-Out-Games – Covering a large swath or northern Italy, the Milan Cortina Olympics will be the most spread-out Winter Games in history, posing unique challenges for both athletes and spectators. By Colleen Barry. 700 words, photos.

OLY—Cortina Olympic Village Tour — Athletes at the Cortina Olympic Village on Tuesday chatted at an outdoor coffee stand, traded their unique national team pins and took in the atmosphere of the Dolomites as snow steadily fell. By Jennifer McDermott. 600 words, photos Feb. 3.

OLY–SKI-Describing Shiffrin – Mikaela Shiffrin’s actions, of course, speak louder than any words. Those close to the all-time winningest Alpine ski racer and compete against her, along with former teammates and current teammates, tried to explain what makes Shiffrin, well, Shiffrin in a word or two. By Pat Graham. 700 words, photos.

OLY—US-Minnesota Strong — Many of the 26 athletes hailing from Minnesota going to the Milano Cortina Games are carrying more than local pride this time, with both heaviness and inspiration from the federal immigration crackdown that has roiled their home state. By Martha Bellisle and Dave Campbell. 650 words, photos.

Wednesday, Feb. 4:

OLY—Post-Covid-Games – Four years after spending three weeks in the pandemic bubble in Beijing — Canadian snowboarder Mark McMoris described it as a “sports prison” — all these skiers, skaters, and sliders get to feel the celebration of a normal Olympics in Italy. By Eddie Pells and Stephen Whyno. 700 words, photos.

OLY–Milan-Cortina-What’s New? – The Milan Cortina Winter Games broaden the Olympic program with the introduction of a new sport and several new events in existing sports. By Howard Fendrich. 600 words, photos.

OLY–Cortina’s Pasta – Every corner of Italy has its own culinary traditions and in Winter Olympics co-host Cortina d’Ampezzo the signature dish is the colorful, stuffed pasta known as casunzei. AP asked a chef at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Cortina to demonstrate how to make it. 500 words, photos, video.

Thursday, Feb. 5:

OLY–Milan Cortina-Preview – The Winter Olympics return to Italy for the first time in 20 years, with events stretching from the country’s fashion capital Milan to the scenic Alpine slopes of Cortina d’Ampezzo. Fans can look forward to NHL players back on the ice and an expanded program featuring 116 medal events in 16 disciplines. By Andrew Dampf. 700 words, photos, video.

OLY—Milan-Cortina-San Siro – San Siro’s last stand: What to know about Milan’s iconic stadium ahead of the Winter Olympics opening ceremony. By Daniella Matar. 600 words. With photos. 

OLY—SPD-The Pink Backpack — There is a reason American speedskater Casey Dawson schleps around a pink backpack and goofy phone case with a plastic foot attached to it. It involves, of all things, fantasy football. By Howard Fendrich. 600 words, photos. Feb. 5.