The International Biathlon Union (IBU) is readying itself for record attendance at Milano Cortina 2026 as the sport comes into the Games on the back of record social and digital media growth, cementing its position as Europe’s most-watched winter sport.

The iconic Antholz-Anterselva Biathlon Arena will have the largest capacity of any sport at Milano Cortina 2026, accommodating 19,100 spectators, and is thus set to welcome close to 200,000 spectators across the duration of the Games – an Olympic record for biathlon.

The Arena, which hosted the World Championships in 2020 and is a permanent annual venue for World Cups, is renowned for creating an unmatched atmosphere, with passionate fans filling the mountain venue to capacity and generating an intensity among the most thrilling in winter sport. The venue is set to be at its very best for the Games, having undergone several upgrades to support sustainable event delivery and further enhance legacy - including a new stadium area and underground shooting range, and modernised training, logistics and media operations areas.

IBU President Olle Dahlin said:

“There is no doubt that biathlon will be one of the Games highlights and most in-demand sports at Milano Cortina 2026. Hosting Olympic competitions in the ‘Cathedral of Biathlon’, and the electric atmosphere that comes with it, will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our athletes and showcase the magic of our sport to our ever-growing audience.”

The Games will build on the huge interest in the 2025/2026 World Cup season so far, which has already surpassed expectations. In the first three months of the season, the @biathlonworld social media handles saw over 300 million impressions, 10 million engagements, and produced almost 200 million video views, reaching these milestones a month earlier than in the previous season. The IBU website and official app have seen healthy 10-30% increases across key metrics this winter, setting biathlon on track for its strongest digital winter ever. This continues the rapid upward trajectory which in the previous three seasons saw the IBU’s reach, video views and engagements across its social media accounts increase between 300-400%.

On broadcast, biathlon remains Europe’s most watched winter sport, reaching 26 million people via broadcast per World Cup in the 2024/2025 season with 400 million hours viewed live, excluding the World Championships, which itself reached close to 50 million viewers and more than 110 million live hours viewed.

With the first-of-its-kind documentary series, Ski Fast – Shoot Clean, inviting audiences into the athletes’ world like never before from 2 February, engagement in biathlon and excitement for Olympic competitions are set to grow even greater over the coming week.

The IBU Olympic competition begins on 8 February with 210 athletes from 29 countries competing across 11 medal events.