Forecasting Milano Cortina 2026: How climate change could redefine future Winter Olympics

The future of the Winter Olympics finds itself in a precarious position as climate change reshapes the sport landscape.

Recent data reveals a startling statistic: by the 2050s, only half of the 21 previous host cities of the Winter Olympics would have suitable conditions to host the Games because of the effects of climate change.

As temperatures rise globally, winter sports are being forced to acclimate worldwide. Cancelled competitions, safety concerns, and an increased demand for artificial snow are becoming more prominent.

During the last winter sports season, 26 of 616 World Cups (alpine, cross-country, freestyle, snowboard, ski jumping) were cancelled because of a lack of snow. Most recently, a World Cup giant slalom scheduled in Mont-Tremblant, Que., — a place known for its pristine skiing conditions — was slashed from the December calendar for the same reason.

Marion Thenault, a Canadian freestyle skier and climate advocate, says she's noticed the changing temperatures on the ski hill over the years and predicts a "slushy" Winter Olympics when Italy's Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo host in 2026.

"I am not expecting great conditions," Thenault said. "I was actually talking to my coach recently about this. The only good thing about the Olympics having bad conditions is that all of our World Cups before are going to have bad conditions too. So we're used to it."

WATCH | Winter sports around the world already feeling the impact:

Is the future of the Winter Olympic Games in danger?

In 2022, a survey found that 90 per cent of Olympic winter sports athletes and coaches across 20 countries had strong concerns about how climate change will affect the future of their sport.

Thenault is involved with the climate advocacy