As Ukrainian athletes prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics, they will seek to boost the morale of their compatriots in Ukraine amid an ongoing war and a brutal winter.

Some individual athletes from the banned countries will be permitted to participate in the Milano Cortina Winter Games

Russian athletes are competing under a different designation at the Winter Olympics. The Sporting News has more on how they'll be identified at the Olympics.

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, mark a historic moment for the Games. Not only because Italy is hosting for the first time since Torino 2006, but because these Olympics will be taking place in multiple locations, with venues scattered across the Italian Alps and Dolomites.

Russian teams remain banned from Olympic competitions, but individual participation as "neutral" athletes is allowed under strict rules.

The Winter Games, which officially open in Italy on Friday, are rooted in international cooperation. That feels out of place to some in a world where old rules no longer apply.

The U.N. and IOC are asking for a pause in wars, an ancient Olympic tradition, amid the Winter Games. Athletes from countries beset by violence are set to compete.

Beating the Americans will feel even sweeter for the U.S.' top allies.

Here are 16 figures to know about the Milan Cortina Olympics—from the eye-popping equipment costs to the multibillion-dollar budget to the age of the oldest arena.