With less than a year to go until the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, excitement is building across the Olympic Movement as NOCs continue their preparations.

The world’s best winter athletes will compete in Northern Italy between 6 and 22 February 2026, with 116 medal events across 16 disciplines—an increase of seven events and one discipline compared to Beijing 2022.

The Winter Games will be held across four clusters in Northern Italy, marking the first time since Sochi 2014 that Europe will host the event, following South Korea in 2018 and China in 2022, with more than 90 NOCs set to compete.

Athletes have been preparing throughout the winter sports season, including at the Asian Winter Games Harbin 2025, held from 7 to 14 February.

Next year’s hosts, Italy, topped the medal table ahead of France, which will host the Olympic Winter Games in 2030, and Switzerland in third.

As the countdown to Milano Cortina 2026 continues, the excitement surrounding these events will only grow as qualifying spots are awarded and the Opening Ceremony draws nearer.

Following the successful XXVII ANOC General Assembly Cascais 2024, ANOC has initiated the development of its new Strategic Plan for 2025-2028. The process began with a comprehensive stakeholder questionnaire, designed to gather insights on the organisation's future challenges and strategic directions.

In December 2024, ANOC extended an invitation to all NOCs to join the Strategic Plan Working Group, which will be tasked with shaping the future of the organisation. The response was positive with 31 NOCs expressing interest and 10 selected to take part, ensuring representation from each continent. A further 18 additional candidates joined the NOC Consultation Group to validate the Working Group's efforts throughout the process.

On 20 February, the Strategic Plan Working Group convened for a four-hour workshop session, featuring breakout groups that facilitated in-depth discussions on the future. 
The result of this workshop was the drafting of the first version of the ANOC Strategic Plan 2025-2028, which will undergo a final review by the Working Group before being distributed to all NOCs for their validation and input, as well as to the IOC and other key ANOC stakeholders.

The feedback from the NOCs will be analysed by the Strategic Plan Working Group, ensuring that any further necessary adjustments are made.

The revised document will then be submitted to the NOC Consultation Group and the ANOC Executive Council for final validation. Upon completion of this process, the finalised Strategic Plan will be presented for approval by the NOCs.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to shape the future of ANOC together!

The 27th ANOC General Assembly, held in Cascais, Portugal generated significant economic media and social impact according to a report by Quantum.

Exceptional Media Coverage

The General Assembly received extensive media coverage, totalling 42 hours of broadcast across various platforms. The total audience reached 103 million people, generating an estimated €5.6 million in media value. ANOC’s social media channels also saw impressive engagement, reaching 411,000 people and gaining 1,274 new followers.

Positive Delegate Experience

Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive with the event receiving an overall satisfaction score of 8.2 out of 10. Thematic sessions were particularly well received with 81% of delegates rating them as “good” or “excellent”. Constructive feedback was also gathered to further enhance the organisation of future General Assemblies.

IOC PRESIDENCY CANDIDATES DELIVER PRESENTATIONS TO MEMBERS

The 143rd IOC Session saw the seven IOC Presidency candidates deliver presentations to the IOC Members in Lausanne on 30 January.

Ahead of the IOC Elections at the 144th IOC Session in Greece on 20 March, these presentations were the only scheduled opportunity for the candidates to address the full IOC membership during the campaign.

Held at Olympic House, each candidate had 15 minutes to present and elaborate on ideas from their manifestos, which were published on 19 December. 

The presentation order was determined by a random draw conducted by the IOC in December and in line with the IOC Ethics Commission's rules, members were unable to ask questions following the presentations.

Once all candidates had presented, they were each invited to speak for 10 minutes with the 30 international media gathered in Lausanne and to take their questions.
The election will take place on 20 March, during the third day of the 144th IOC Session, with the new President set to take office on 24 June, following the end of President Bach's 12-year mandate.

During the Session, Dolomiti Valtellina in the Italian Alps was confirmed as the host of the fifth Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2028. 

IOC Presidency candidates (in order determined by IOC)

• HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein
• David Lappartient
• Johan Eliasch 
• Juan Antonio Samaranch 
• Kirsty Coventry 
• Lord Sebastian Coe
• Morinari Watanabe 
  
  

1 - FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW, WHAT ARE THE KEY PRIORITIES FOR THE ANOC STRATEGIC PLAN AND HOW WILL THEY BENEFIT NOCS GLOBALLY? 

In my opinion, there are three priorities that are essential for the ANOC Strategic Plan: good governance, funding and knowledge exchange.

Good governance should be at the heart of ANOC’s activities, both internally and externally, and must be grounded in a clear definition of ANOC’s purpose and its reason for existence.

It must be clear what ANOC’s contribution to the Olympic Movement is and how it differs from the IOC's role. Independent funding is of paramount importance. ANOC currently relies almost exclusively on financial support from the IOC and this reliance complicates ensuring an independent stance towards the IOC and other third parties. ANOC should find new and innovative ways to fund its activities independently.

Lastly, NOCs worldwide possess immense knowledge and experience. ANOC should harness this unique power to stimulate and organise knowledge exchange, enabling NOCs to learn from each other, thereby making NOCs stronger and more resilient and, in turn, strengthening the Olympic Movement as a whole.

2 - WHAT MUST THE STRATEGIC PLAN WORKING GROUP DO TO ENSURE THAT THE STRATEGIC PLAN REMAINS ADAPTABLE TO THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT AND THE NOCS?

First of all, I believe the Working Group should ensure that the Strategic Plan aligns with the needs and visions of all 206 NOCs. Only then can we achieve true commitment and active contribution from each and every NOC.

We all know that NOCs differ in terms of size, funding, membership and medal achievements. However, the Strategic Plan should be suitable for all and allow every NOC to benefit from it significantly. As a member of the Working Group, I will do my utmost to make this possible.

Furthermore, the Strategic Plan should be based on ANOC’s own values, vision and objectives, which are defined and supported by all NOCs. This ensures it is an independent strategy without concessions, making it a valuable addition and a strong contributor to the Olympic Movement.

By doing so, ANOC would create a framework in which the Strategic Plan will endure in the long run while remaining flexible and adaptable to the changing needs and circumstances of NOCs and the Olympic Family.

3 - THE STRATEGIC PLAN WORKING GROUP IS ABOUT TO SHARE THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE 2025-2028 STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE INPUT OF ALL NOCS. WHAT IS YOUR IMPRESSION OF THE WORK SO FAR AND WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THE PROCESS?

The Strategic Plan Working Group is progressing at a good pace and is greatly supported by ANOC staff. Our first meeting was conducted in a very open and constructive manner, making it a productive session that holds great promise for the future.

It was encouraging to see that every working group member was highly motivated and committed to making this Strategic Plan practical and beneficial for ANOC and all its members.

The decision to invite NOCs from all continents to participate in the working group has been very much welcomed and is a necessity for developing a solid plan.

However, we must not rest on our achievements thus far. We need to remain focused on delivering a plan that meets the expectations of all NOCs. It is essential to maintain interactions and open discussions among the Working Group members. Most importantly, we must listen to the needs of all NOCs, taking their opinions and perspectives into account at all times.

Therefore, if I may, I call upon the NOCs to share their thoughts and provide active input when given the opportunity. 

ENOUGH THEORY, TIME FOR PRACTICE! DISCOVER HOW AI IS REVOLUTIONIZING COMMUNICATION AND MARKETING BY REWATCHING THE FIRST THREE WORKSHOPS ON ANOC.TV

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