Lyla Lindsey
Austria has hosted the Winter Olympics twice, in 1964 and 1976, both in the city of Innsbruck. The country has a strong Winter Olympics legacy, having participated in all but one Olympics since 1896 and often dominating in alpine skiing. While there are no current plans for Austria to host the Winter Olympics again, it will play a role in the 2026 Winter Olympics by hosting the sliding events in Igls, as Italy, the main host, has decided not to due to costs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| When will the Winter Olympics be held in Austria again? | There is no indication that Austria will host the Winter Olympics again anytime soon. The next Winter Olympics will be held in Milan-Cortina in 2026. However, Austria may host the sliding events for the games, as Italy will not be hosting them due to the cost of rebuilding the necessary infrastructure. |
| Previous Winter Olympics hosted by Austria | 1964 and 1976, both in Innsbruck |
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What You'll Learn
- Austria has twice hosted the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, in 1964 and 1976
- Austrian athletes have participated in all Winter Olympics since 1924
- Austrian athletes have been particularly dominant in alpine skiing
- The 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck cost around one billion schillings or 40 million US dollars
- The 2026 Winter Olympics will be the first where one country does not host all competitions
Austria has twice hosted the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, in 1964 and 1976
The Innsbruck Games were notable for their political undertones. Five Iranian students were arrested for protesting against the Shah, and twenty others were imprisoned for demonstrating for the release of prisoners in Iran. The Austrian army was also mobilised to address the lack of snow, bringing thousands of cubic meters of it from Brenner Pass near the Italian border. The Soviet Union dominated the medal table, winning eleven gold and twenty-five medals in total, breaking the record for the most gold and overall medals at a single Winter Olympics. The host country, Austria, came second, winning twelve medals, four of which were gold. Austrian athletes won medals in a variety of events, including skiing, figure skating, and bobsleigh.
Innsbruck hosted the Winter Olympics again in 1976, twelve years after the 1964 Games. Austrian athletes continued to perform well at the Winter Olympics, with Franz Klammer winning gold in the downhill skiing event. Austria has a strong record at the Winter Olympics, particularly in alpine skiing, where it has won the most medals of any country. The nation has also produced several notable athletes who have achieved multiple medals at the Winter Games, such as Felix Gottwald, Thomas Morgenstern, and Hermann Maier.
While Austria is not scheduled to host the Winter Olympics again in the near future, it will play a role in the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics. Due to the high cost of rebuilding the sliding track in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, the International Olympic Committee has suggested that the sliding events will be held in Igls, Austria, or St. Moritz, Switzerland. This would be the first time that a single country has not hosted all of the competitions at the Winter Olympics.
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Austrian athletes have participated in all Winter Olympics since 1924
Austria made a strong start in 1924, winning two gold medals. These were thanks to Herma Planck-Szabó, who won the ladies' singles event in figure skating, and the tandem of Helene Engelmann and Alfred Berger, who won the pair skating event. Willy Böckl also took silver in the men's figure skating. Since then, Austria has continued to excel in figure skating and has expanded its success across various other winter sports.
Austrian athletes have achieved notable success in Nordic Combined skiing, with Felix Gottwald winning seven medals (four gold), making him the country's most decorated Winter Olympian. Thomas Morgenstern has also excelled in ski jumping, claiming four medals, three of them gold. In addition, several Austrian skiers have made their mark on the Winter Olympics. These include Hermann Maier, with four medals (two gold); Toni Sailer, with three medals (two gold); Trude Jochum-Beiser, with three medals (two gold); and Matthias Mayer, a two-time gold medallist.
Austria has also twice hosted the Winter Olympics, in 1964 and 1976, on both occasions in Innsbruck. The 1964 Games, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, were a significant edition for Austria, as the host country won twelve medals, four of which were gold. Austrian athletes excelled in a variety of sports, including figure skating, luge, and alpine skiing, showcasing their diverse athletic prowess.
While there is no information on Austria hosting the Winter Olympics again in the near future, the nation's athletes continue to participate actively and successfully in the Games, upholding their country's proud Winter Olympic legacy.
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Austrian athletes have been particularly dominant in alpine skiing
The Winter Olympics has been held in Austria twice, in 1964 and 1976, both times in Innsbruck. Austrian athletes have been particularly dominant in alpine skiing, winning the most medals of any country in this sport. The country's success has been attributed to easy access to glaciers, a solid grassroots system, and a deep passion for skiing.
Austria's dominance in alpine skiing was evident in the 1964 Winter Olympics, where they won four gold medals. Austrian athletes have continued to excel in this sport, with notable mentions including Felix Gottwald, who won seven medals (four gold) in Nordic Combined, Thomas Morgenstern with four medals (three gold) in Ski Jumping, and Hermann Maier, who won four medals (two gold) in Alpine Skiing.
In more recent years, Austrian Marcel Hirscher has dominated men's alpine skiing, winning six straight World Cup overall titles and performing exceptionally in slalom and giant slalom events. Another Austrian athlete, Mikaela Shiffrin, has also demonstrated exceptional skill, with 41 World Cup wins before turning 23, a feat only previously achieved by Austrian Annemarie Moser-Proell.
Austria's success in alpine skiing can be partly attributed to its geographical advantages, with easy access to glaciers like Hintertux, Kitzsteinhorn, and Pitztal, allowing athletes to start training as early as July. Additionally, a strong grassroots system and a deep passion for the sport have contributed to the country's success. However, in recent years, the sport has become more exclusive due to rising costs, impacting athletes from rural areas. Despite this, Austria continues to produce talented alpine skiers and remains a force to be reckoned with in the sport.
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The 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck cost around one billion schillings or 40 million US dollars
The Winter Olympics has been held in Austria twice, both times in Innsbruck, in 1964 and 1976. The 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, took place from 29 January to 9 February 1964. The games cost around one billion schillings, or 40 million US dollars, and the costs were distributed among the organising committee, the Austrian state, the Land of Tyrol, and the city of Innsbruck.
The organisers of the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck tried to reduce expenses related to provisional elements and invest more in permanent facilities. The construction and renovation of sports venues and infrastructure for the games totalled 323 million schillings. This included the Olympiaeisstadion, which cost 75 million schillings, the renovation of the Bergisel Ski Jump for 15 million, and the Olympic Sliding Centre Innsbruck for 10 million. The development of ski slopes, cross-country skiing, and biathlon facilities cost 29 million, while the Olympic Village, intended to become a leisure centre, cost 174 million schillings. Additionally, 225 million schillings were invested in renovating and developing the road network in the region.
The 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck were broadcast on television, with exclusive broadcasting rights sold for US$937,000, a substantial increase from the 1960 Winter Olympics. Thirty countries broadcast the games, with American channel ABC paying nearly 15.4 million schillings for the rights, contributing 64% of the total broadcast revenue.
The Innsbruck Games faced a challenge due to a lack of snow, and the Austrian army was mobilised to address this issue. They transported thousands of cubic meters of snow from the Brenner Pass near the Italian border to the competition venues. This ensured that the Winter Olympics could proceed as planned, showcasing Austria's resilience and commitment to making the games a success.
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The 2026 Winter Olympics will be the first where one country does not host all competitions
The Winter Olympics have been held in Austria twice before, in 1964 and 1976, both times in the city of Innsbruck. There is no indication that Austria will host the Winter Olympics again anytime soon.
The next Winter Olympics will be held in 2026, from February 6th to 22nd. The 2026 Winter Olympics will be hosted by Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy. This will be the first time that the Olympics have been officially co-hosted by multiple cities, with Milan primarily hosting ice events and the remaining events being hosted in clusters around Cortina, the Valtellina and Fiemme valleys.
Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo were selected as the host cities on 24 June 2019 at the 134th IOC Session in Lausanne, Switzerland, beating a bid by Stockholm and Åre, Sweden. The Games will feature the debut of ski mountaineering as an Olympic event, as well as new medal events including men's and women's dual moguls in freestyle skiing, men's and women's doubles in luge, and men's and women's team alpine combined, among others.
The 2026 Winter Olympics will also be the first where one country does not host all competitions. Organizers have announced that the bobsled, luge, and skeleton events will be held outside of Italy, with the closest existing sliding tracks to Cortina d'Ampezzo being in Igls, Austria, and St. Moritz, Switzerland. This decision to spread the Games across multiple countries is a break from tradition and has been made in recent years as Olympic officials prioritize existing venues over costly new projects.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Austria has hosted the Winter Olympics twice, in 1964 and 1976, both in the city of Innsbruck.
Austria is not scheduled to host the Winter Olympics in their entirety anytime soon. However, sliding complexes in Igls, Austria, are likely to host Olympic bobsled, luge, and skeleton in 2026, as Italy will not be hosting these events.
Austria came second in the medal table in 1964, winning twelve medals, four of which were gold.
