Milano Cortina 2026 won over Italians

A survey by Piepoli and WePlan published this week found that 77% of nationals believe the Winter Olympics improved the country's international image, while two-thirds followed the event regularly and recognised its positive economic impact.

Piepoli is a research institute, while WePlan specialises in legacy strategies for mega-events and together, they produced a report suggesting that the Olympic Games enjoyed broad support among Italians. Their data show that public engagement was extremely high — higher even than some forecasts made in the weeks beforehand — with 66% of Italians actively following daily coverage and developments. Respondents also expressed strong support regarding the organisation of the event, both before and during it, with 72% reporting a positive overall impression.

The memories of the event are still fresh, and the data indicates that 79% of respondents backed the Milano Cortina model, seeing what took place in February as a possible example for future events in the country, whether sporting, cultural or otherwise.

Another success, according to the survey findings, was the use of existing venues that already enjoy strong public support. Some 79% believed that holding the Games in multiple locations was positive, while 77% felt that using established facilities improved the quality of the competitions.

The symbolic impact and wider repercussions of the event were also highly rated. In this respect, 79% of interviewees said that Italy's image as a country had been strengthened, and a very similar proportion — 77% — believed that international perceptions of Italy are now even better than before. In economic terms, 76% believed that the Games improved the country’s finances and gave the economy a further indirect boost. The same percentage agreed that tourism and employment benefited from hosting the Games.

A number of construction projects were carried out, and the infrastructure built or renovated for the occasion received approval from 66% of respondents. A very similar proportion — just one percentage point lower — believed that sustainability had also been a key consideration.

 

"These figures confirm the validity of an innovative approach to planning mega-events, based on the efficient use of existing infrastructure and territorial distribution," said WePlan co-founders Giorgio Re and Roberto Daneo, as reported by the digital outlet IlGiorno.

The study's authors concluded that the Organising Committee had demonstrated careful planning and a well-structured legacy strategy that was on the right path to generating concrete and lasting value, not only financially, but also socially and in terms of reputation.