Lausanne, Switzerland, January 31, 2025: The Italian Alps are set to host the next Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2028. This decision was taken by the IOC Members during the 143rd IOC Session on Thursday, January 30 in Lausanne, following a presentation by the project leaders.
Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 will be the fifth edition of the Winter YOG and will follow the highly successful Winter YOG in Gangwon, Korea in 2024 – the first Winter YOG to be held in Asia.
Competitions will take place only in existing venues across three clusters in Valtellina, Trentino and Cortina, returning to some of the iconic sports venues that will be used for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The 2028 YOG will be part of the Milano Cortina 2026 legacy, and will reinvest in communities with strong winter sports traditions.
The project is led by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), and the governments of the regions of Veneto and Lombardy and the Autonomous Province of Trento, supported by the Italian national government, and is in line with long-term plans to raise the regions’ profile as a winter sports destination.
IOC President Thomas Bach said: “The election of Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 is an expression of the IOC’s confidence in Italy’s ability to deliver world class, exceptional winter sports events.
“The Olympic Movement and the host regions are already excited about Milano Cortina 2026, with just over one year to go until the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Today’s news means that excitement will extend until the end of the decade, and the benefits for local communities will continue.”
The programme of the Winter YOG, from January 15-29, 2028, will include all seven winter Olympic sports: biathlon, bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey, luge, skating and skiing. Seven of the 11 proposed venues for the YOG will have been used in 2026.
There were 89 “yes” votes for Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 by the IOC Members and one “no” vote out of 90 valid votes, with two abstentions.