Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics set to begin as Team GB eye success
The 14th Winter Paralympics are set to get under way in Milano Cortina, Italy, with elite competition scheduled to run officially from 6 March.
It marks the second time the nation has staged the Games, having previously hosted the event in Torino in 2006.
While the opening ceremony takes place on Friday, competitive action begins two days earlier with the wheelchair curling.
Great Britain face Estonia in their opening mixed round-robin fixture on 4 March.
Fitzpatrick leads British charge
Menna Fitzpatrick, the country’s most decorated Winter Paralympian, headlines the squad in the alpine skiing.
The six-time medallist competes alongside guide Katie Guest just three months after sustaining a serious knee injury.
Her sole gold medal to date came in the slalom at Pyeongchang 2018.
Sam Cozens also features in the alpine discipline with guide Dominic Allen.
The visually impaired skier, who was born with nystagmus, secured two third-place finishes in the giant slalom on the European circuit during the 2025-26 season.
Meanwhile, snowboarder Davy Zyw is set to make history in Italy.
The Scot becomes the first man with Motor Neurone Disease to compete at the Winter Paralympics.
Host venues and schedule
The Games are distributed across three main clusters: Milan, Cortina D’Ampezzo and Val di Fiemme.
The opening ceremony will be staged at the first-century Arena di Verona amphitheatre.
Proceedings conclude on 15 March at the Cortina Curling Stadium, which previously hosted the opening ceremony of the 1956 Winter Olympics.
The key venues for the sporting action include:
- Para alpine skiing: Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre
- Para biathlon: Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium
- Para cross-country skiing: Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium
- Para ice hockey: Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena
- Para snowboard: Cortina Para Snowboard Park
- Wheelchair curling: Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium