Fresh off the excitement of the 2026 Winter Olympics, the stage is set for an additional 10 days of high-level athletic competition at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games.
This edition marks the 50th anniversary of the first Winter Paralympics, which were held in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, in 1976. Check out more key facts about the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games below:
When are the 2026 Winter Paralympics?
The 2026 Winter Paralympics begin March 6 and conclude on March 15.
Where are the 2026 Winter Paralympics?
Like the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, the 2026 Winter Paralympics will be held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
When is the opening ceremony?
The opening ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. ET on March 6.
Where is the opening ceremony?
The opening ceremony will take place inside the Verona Arena in Verona, Italy, the same venue where the closing ceremony for the 2026 Winter Olympics was held. The Verona Arena is a historic Roman amphitheater about a two-hour drive from Milan and three hours from Cortina d'Ampezzo.
How can fans watch?
The opening ceremony will air live on USA Network and Peacock, with preshow coverage beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET.
NBC, USA Network and CNBC will have live coverage of the Paralympic Games, with live and on-demand streaming available on Peacock. NBC and Peacock will air prime-time highlight shows at 8 p.m. ET on March 7 and March 14.
How many athletes will compete in the 2026 Winter Paralympics?
More than 650 of the world's best athletes with disabilities will compete for 79 gold medals across six sports.
What sports will be in action at the 2026 Winter Paralympics?
The 2026 Winter Paralympic program will include para alpine skiing, para biathlon, para cross-country skiing, para snowboarding, para ice hockey and wheelchair curling. One medal event -- wheelchair curling mixed doubles -- will be featured at the Winter Paralympics for the first time.
▪︎ Para alpine skiing: Athletes race down steep slopes at blistering speeds, competing in three categories based on their functional ability (sitting, standing and vision impaired). The sport has been a part of every Winter Paralympic Games since the inaugural edition in 1976.
▪︎ Para biathlon: In a combination of cross-country skiing and target shooting, athletes compete across three classes -- sitting, standing and vision impairment -- in sprint, middle distance, pursuit and individual events. The sport made its Winter Paralympic debut in 1988.
▪︎ Para cross-country skiing: Athletes with physical disabilities in the upper and lower limbs (standing) and lower limbs and trunk (sit-ski), as well as competitors with vision impairments race long distances across varied terrain. Athletes with vision impairments can elect to compete with a sighted guide. The sport has been a part of the Winter Paralympic program since 1976.
▪︎ Para snowboarding: The most recent addition to the Winter Paralympic program, para snowboarding made its debut on the Paralympic stage in 2014. The 2026 Winter Paralympic Games will include eight para snowboarding medal events -- six men's and two women's.
▪︎ Para ice hockey: Athletes compete in specially designed sleds that sit on top of two conventional ice hockey skate blades and allow the puck to pass underneath. Competitors use two sticks: a spike-end for pushing and a blade-end for shooting. The sport made its Paralympic debut in 1994. Eight nations -- Canada, China, Czechia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Slovakia and the United States -- will compete at the 2026 Winter Paralympics.
▪︎ Wheelchair curling: A test of precision, the goal in wheelchair curling is to deliver the stone as close to the center of the target as possible. The sport made its Paralympic debut in 2006. Twenty years later, it will have a new mixed doubles event in addition to its usual mixed team event. Unlike curling at the Winter Olympics, sweeping is not allowed in wheelchair curling. Up to 66 athletes will compete in wheelchair curling in Italy.
What is the mascot of the 2026 Winter Paralympics?
Milo, a brown stoat, is the mascot of the 2026 Winter Paralympics. He was born without one paw. His sister, Tina, who has white fur, was the mascot of the 2026 Winter Olympics. Small weasel-like creatures, stoats are known for their speed and agility and can easily adapt to their environment through their color-changing fur. The animal's fur changes from brown to white during winter months to blend in with the landscape.
Milo and Tina were named for the two host cities of the 2026 Winter Paralympics and 2026 Winter Olympics -- Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Every medalist receives a plush toy mascot on the podium.
When is the closing ceremony for the 2026 Winter Paralympics?
The closing ceremony will take place on March 15 inside the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, the venue used for the 1956 Winter Olympic Games.
Which country has won the most Winter Paralympic medals?
Going into the 2026 event, Austria has won the most medals in the history of the Winter Paralympics with 345.
Which country has won the most Winter Paralympic gold medals?
Going into the 2026 event, Norway has won the most gold medals in the history of the Winter Paralympic Games with 140 (334 total).
Which athlete has won the most Winter Paralympic medals?
Norwegian cross-country skier and biathlete Ragnhild Myklebust holds the record for the most Winter Paralympic medals with 27 (22 gold, three silver and two bronze) won between 1988 and 2002.
What is the symbol of the Paralympics?
While the Olympics have the iconic five interlocking rings, representing the unity of the five inhabited continents (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania) and the athletes from around the world, the Paralympics are represented by three waves called "Agitos," which means "I move" in Latin.
What is the motto of the Paralympics?
The Paralympics motto is "Spirit in Motion," representing the strong will of every Paralympian.
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