Everything you need to know about the 2026 Winter Paralympics

Calling all sports fans - the Paralympic Winter Games are nearly here, and this year's edition is set to be a special one.

The 2026 event will mark the 50th anniversary of the first Winter Paralympics and will see the Games return to Italy for the second time in their history.

More than 650 athletes from around the world will be going for glory on the ice and snow when the Games get underway this week.

So what events will there be, how many medals are up for grabs and what will the mascots look like?

Here's everything you need to know about the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.

Are you excited for the Games? Which winter sport is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below.

Just like the recent Winter Olympics, which took place last month, the Winter Paralympic Games also have the same two official joint hosts - the city of Milan and the town of Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Alps.

The Games will be held across three locations and six venues in the Milan-Cortina region.

Para-ice hockey will be held in Milan, whereas the ski resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo is the venue of the wheelchair curling, Para-snowboarding and Para-skiing events.

The Tesero cross-country skiing stadium will host the Para-biathlon and Para-cross-country skiing competitions.

The Winter Paralympics take place every four years, and the Winter and Summer Games are traditionally separated by two years.

The 2026 Paralympic Winter Games will officially take place from Friday 6 March until Sunday 15 March, although action from the wheelchair curling begins two days earlier.

Around 665 athletes from 50 National Paralympic Committees will compete for 79 gold medals across six sports.

The official mascot for the Paralympics is a brown stoat called Milo.

He is the younger brother of the Winter Olympics mascot, Tina.

Milo was born without a paw and learned to use his tail to walk.

He is described as always being creative, active and curious with a hands-on approach to life.

Both their names are inspired by the host cities - Milo from Milano and Tina from Cortina d'Ampezzo.

At the last Winter Olympics, which took place in Beijing in 2022, ParalympicsGB won six medals - with all but one won by visually impaired athletes on the ski slopes.

This time round, a squad of 25 British athletes will be at the Games - a mix of experienced competitors and Paralympic newcomers.

Nina Sparks will make history as she becomes Great Britain's first-ever female snowboarder to compete at a Paralympic Games.

She recently won Banked Slalom bronze at last month's Steamboat World Cup.

ParalympicsGB's squad also features three teenagers that will take part in their first ever Paralympic Games.

Hester Poole and Sam Cozens will compete in the visually impaired para-alpine skiing.

While 16-year-old Dom Allen will take part in the slalom and giant slalom events.

Neil Simpson won Great Britain's only gold at the 2022 Paralympics, alongside his brother and guide Andrew.

The pair finished top of the podium in the Super-G and followed that up with bronze in the Super Combined.

Jo Butterfield will attempt to become the first Briton to win gold at both the Summer and Winter Paralympics after being selected for the wheelchair curling team.

And Para-Alpine skier Menna Fitzpatrick is Britain's most decorated Winter Paralympian, with six medals, and is set to take part in her third Games.