How Italy will pull off the Olympics in two cities more than 250 miles apart

MILAN — For the first time in the history of the Olympics, the 2026 Winter Games will be hosted by two cities — Milan and Cortina

MILAN — For the first time in the history of the Olympics, the 2026 Winter Games will be hosted by two cities — Milan and Cortina.

The two cities in Italy, separated by more than 250 miles, are seemingly diametrically opposed.

Milan, the country's second biggest city, is the metropolitan hub of northern Italy and one of the fashion capitals of the world. Cortina d'Ampezzo, on the other hand, is a ski destination nestled in the Dolomites. Together, they’ll team up to provide the infrastructure needed to pull off the Winter Olympic Games.

Despite the logistical challenge of pulling off an Olympics in two different locales, organizers hope the Milan Cortina Games will also provide a seamless viewing experience.

“It’s so exciting, this moment,” Andrea Varnier, the CEO of the Milan Cortina organizing committee, told NBC News. “There’s a lot of challenges every day, a new one, of course. But we are getting there, and we are also getting excited.”