With the Olympic Winter Games in full swing, the Italian government is hoping the games will serve as a natural stimulus for the growth of their economy; however, the Games usually create a financial burden for the host country. In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the organizers lost between $800 to $815 million dollars in ticket sales, and after the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics, the city has not been able to sustain their Olympic Park, leaving their swimming pool orange and unclean.
Even though the Olympic Games have been known to cause financial chaos, Milan is trying to rewrite what it means to be the host. Milan is leaning heavily on private sponsorship to avoid a tourism disaster like the Tokyo Olympics, and 90% of the venues for this year’s games are either already in existence or temporary, combating any issues similar to those Brazil had.
Milan’s operating budget for the 2026 games was set as $1.9 billion, yet the overall costs for infrastructure and hosting are likely to be about $5.8 billion. In comparison to the last two winter games where China spent an estimated $38.5 billion and South Korea spent an estimated $13 billion, Milan is being cost efficient with their hosting methods. Italy is projected to see a $6.3 billion dollar economic gain due to the Olympics, proving the smoothness employed by the government to make sure the country benefits from the Games.
Wade, Stephen. “Organizers say Tokyo Olympics cost $1.8 billion less than expected.” PBS News, 22 December 2021. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/organizers-say-tokyo-olympics-cost-1-8-billion-less-than-expected.
Leveridge, Sam. “The $6 Billion Olympic Boost: How Milano Cortina 2026 Is Transforming Italy’s Economy.” Forbes, 16 February 2026. https://www.forbes.com/sites/samleveridge/2026/02/16/the-6-billion-olympic-boost-how-milano-cortina-2026-is-transforming-italys-economy/.
