The upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games is already shaping up to be one of the most widely covered Winter Olympics in history, with a remarkable 13,478 media
accreditations officially validated.
This figure marks a striking 44% increase compared to the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, highlighting growing global interest in winter sports and the unique appeal of the Italian-hosted Games.
Of the total, 2,537 accreditations were granted to written and photographic press, representing 803 media organizations across 62 National Olympic Committees. While male journalists still dominate the field, women now account for 24% of accredited press—a slight but notable rise from 23% in Beijing.
Female representation varies significantly across roles. Women make up 43% of press attachés linked to National Olympic Committees and 40% of Main Press Centre support staff, but their presence drops to just 11% among local journalists and 18% among photographers. Overall, 618 women and 1,919 men were accredited in the press category.
Beyond traditional journalism, the Games will rely heavily on a massive broadcasting operation. A combined 10,941 accreditations were issued to Media Rights-Holders and host broadcaster personnel, underlining the scale of coverage required for what is being described as the most geographically dispersed Winter Olympics ever.
Media Rights-Holders alone account for 6,368 accredited personnel, the majority of whom are involved in production and technical roles. Meanwhile, the host broadcaster has secured 4,573 accreditations, including venue-specific crews and International Broadcast Centre staff.
Together, these teams will operate across multiple venue clusters stretching from Milan to Cortina d’Ampezzo, supported by extensive infrastructure such as the Main Press Centre (MPC) and International Broadcast Centre (IBC).
With such an unprecedented number of journalists, technicians, and broadcasters on the ground, the Milano Cortina 2026 Games are set to deliver comprehensive global coverage—bringing athletes’ stories, host communities, and the spirit of the Olympics to audiences worldwide. Photo by Vice President JD Vance, Wikimedia commons.