Dolomiti Valtellina, in the Italian Alps, has been elected by members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to host the next Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in 2028.
Following a presentation by the project leaders during the 143rd IOC Session in Lausanne, it was confirmed that Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 will be the fifth edition of the Winter YOG. Competitions will take place only in existing venues across three clusters in Valtellina, Trentino and Cortina, returning to some of the venues that will be used for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The 2028 YOG will be part of the Milano Cortina 2026 legacy, and will reinvest in communities with strong winter sports traditions.
The project is led by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), and the governments of the regions of Veneto and Lombardy and the Autonomous Province of Trento, supported by the Italian national government, and is in line with long-term plans to raise the regions’ profile as a winter sports destination.
IOC president Thomas Bach said: “The election of Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 is an expression of the IOC’s confidence in Italy’s ability to deliver world class, exceptional winter sports events. The Olympic Movement and the host regions are already excited about Milano Cortina 2026, with just over one year to go until the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Today’s news means that excitement will extend until the end of the decade, and the benefits for local communities will continue.”
Andrea Abodi, Italian Minister of Sport and Youth, added: “Italy is once again ready to put its heart, passion and expertise into hosting an event that will be not only a spectacular sporting occasion, but also a meaningful opportunity for growth for the entire nation. We aim to inspire the younger generations to embrace the value of sport as a tool for inclusion and social cohesion – a universal language capable of uniting cultures and nations, and fostering the diplomacy we so greatly need.”
The programme of the YOG, from 15-29 January 2028, will include all seven winter Olympic sports: biathlon, bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey, luge, skating and skiing. Seven of the 11 proposed venues for the YOG will have been used in 2026 – Stelvio Alpine Skiing Centre in Bormio, Livigno Aerials and Mogul Park and Livigno Snow Park for freestyle/snowboard, Cortina Sliding Centre for bobsleigh, skeleton and luge, Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium, Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium, and Cortina Olympic Stadium, for curling.
The programme also presents an opportunity to take competitions to venues that cannot be used in 2026. Meanwhile, no athlete will stay more than an hour from their venue, with seven out of 11 venues less than 15 minutes from their respective village. A festival of sport, arts and local culture will take place throughout 2027, until the Olympic Torch celebrations in December.