The Milan-Cortina 2026 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games continues to expand its circle of partners eleven months before the big winter event. On Wednesday, it announced that RGS Events, a world leader in furniture solutions, has become official supporter of the event. The company will supply more than 24.000 pieces of furniture that will be installed, among other places, in the athletes' villages. On January 21, OCOG also announced an agreement with Fiera Milano, a specialist in organizing exhibitions and congresses. The lights are getting closer to green, which should ease the pressure on Andrea Varnier's teams.
Who wants to scratch millions?
OCOG is on track with its objectives. According to its general director, 400 million euros have already come into the coffers thanks to the event's partners. The finish line is getting closer since the Italians are counting on 500 to 550 million euros in this area. "The ongoing negotiations give us the feeling that we will succeed. It is an extraordinary result for a country like Italy", commented Andrea Varnier on February 6, on the sidelines of D-365. Behind the worldwide Olympic and Paralympic partners, members of the IOC TOP program, Milan-Cortina 2026 has been working to attract companies for several years. Five groups have joined the adventure as premium partners, the most prestigious status (and the most profitable for the OCOG): ENEL, Eni, Italian railways, Poste Italiane and Salomon. Seven companies are categorized as official partners, including EA7 Emporio Armani, Esselunga, Randstad and Juniper Networks. Eight sponsors and five official supporters complete the picture at present. Twenty-five companies have therefore said yes.
The OCOG is continuing its charm offensive across the country to achieve its goals, particularly with its eye on Veneto, which has so far been relatively uninvolved. However, the region will be at the heart of the Games with women's alpine skiing, curling, bobsleigh, luge and skeleton in Cortina d'Ampezzo, as well as the closing ceremony in the Verona Arena. "There is still time and room for their participation, commented the president of the region, Luca Vaia, on February 6. Andrea Varnier is trying to build relationships. Just today he met with an important Veronese company. I am not worried about the wait: sponsorship requires significant sums and the partners will arrive." Paris 2024 had signed several contracts during the first half of 2024, in the final stretch towards the Games, adding the taxi service Hype, the scales producer Terraillon, the ice cream brand Miko and the entertainment company Aquatique Show to its list of partners.
The ticket office, the other corner of blue sky
Edgar Grospiron, president of OCOG 2030, reminded us of this in the columns of Le Monde: partnerships are a key piece of the budget puzzle. "This is a subject that I will deal with personally, it is my priority", he said, hoping "bring back 600 million euros" in the coffers of the French Alps through this channel. Eleven months before the deadline, the signals are positive for Milan-Cortina 2026. The OCOG proudly highlighted the rush on its ticket office, where 300 000 tickets were sold in six days. Some events are already fully booked. Hospitality packages, which cost up to 10.000 euros, have also attracted visitors from more than 60 countries. Demand has come in particular from the United States, Canada, Germany, Japan and South Korea, according to Emilio Pozzi, CEO of On Location for Milan-Cortina 2026, the Games' official hospitality partner. "The Prince of Tonga has bought a package for Cortina and Milan, he will be here for the first time to see the Winter Olympics. Tom Cruise, who is already our client, will also be in Cortina during the Winter Olympics. There will also be many emirs, he listed. Having such demand means the project is on the right track." Nearly a third of the tickets have already been sold in the first phase of sales. A good sign for the interest in these Games, and especially for the budgetary balance of the COJOP, already challenged by the increase in energy and construction costs.
