The first volunteer for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 is the Italian champion and world number one tennis player, Jannik Sinner, fresh from his latest feat at the US Open. Today, the Organising Committee officially launched the Team26 Programme dedicated to the volunteers who want to play a key role in the 2026 Games, with Sinner as its official Ambassador and the face of the communication campaign "We are the Games".
Jannik Sinner first volunteer of the Games
There is no one more fitting than an athlete of Sinner’s calibre to endorse this unique opportunity: to be at the heart of the organisation of Milano Cortina 2026 and to experience the world’s biggest sporting event up close. Volunteers are the soul of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the essential force behind their success.
Around 18,000 people will have the opportunity to be part of Milano Cortina 2026, sharing special moments and emotions and playing a fundamental role at all the competition venues, villages, and official sites.
How to join Team 26
The requirements to apply—exclusively on the website milanocortina2026.org— and be part of this dream include being 18 years old by November 1st 2025, having knowledge of Italian or English, participating in selection and training events, and committing to a minimum availability of at least nine non-consecutive days during the Games.
The Team26 Programme is open to everyone, from Italy and abroad, and candidates can also offer their availability for a series of activities that will take place before the Winter Games, starting with the Test Events in 2025. The roles assigned to volunteers will be varied and primarily aimed at enhancing the experience of all those who will participate in the event and facilitating the organisation of the Games. Additionally, it will be a genuine opportunity for personal growth and development for the volunteers themselves.
Volunteers will be involved in the competition venues and all official sites, such as the Athlete Villages, the Main Media Centre, railway stations, and airports.
All details about the Team26 programme and the application phases are available at the following link: https://team26.milanocortina2026.org/en .
We are the Games!
"Volunteers have always been the distinguishing element of every edition of the Games," says Giovanni Malagò, President of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026. "With their passion and enthusiasm, they will convey the Italian Spirit by welcoming people from all over the world and ensuring the best possible experience for the leading figures of the winter disciplines. The energy of the Team26 volunteers will also be an extraordinary driving force to involve the Italian territories even more in the lead-up to the next Winter Olympics and Paralympics."
Jannik Sinner’s letter
"I am proud to represent the passion for these extraordinary disciplines and the desire to contribute to the success of such a unique event," says Jannik Sinner, Ambassador of the Team26 Programme and former young skiing prodigy. "In all major sporting events, volunteers have the opportunity to make the experience unforgettable for us, the athletes. Sport has always been a fundamental part of my life, especially winter sports. I learned to ski when I was just a child, and since then, the adrenaline of the slopes and the allure of the snow-covered mountains have been with me through every winter. Milano Cortina 2026 will be held in places that are very special to me, and I can’t wait to watch the competitions of the champions who will come to Italy from all over the world."
"Without volunteers, no edition of the Games would be possible," says Olympic Champion Diana Bianchedi, now Chief Strategy Planning & Legacy Officer at Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026. "First as an athlete and then as an executive, I have seen firsthand how crucial the contribution of volunteers is in creating that unique atmosphere that only the Olympic and Paralympic Games can convey. We are confident that Italy, with its great tradition in volunteer activities, will also distinguish itself in this aspect."
