One of the biggest sporting events in the world is making its return in just a few days. The 2026 Winter Olympics, known officially as the Milano Cortina 2026 Games, begin on February 6. The competition will run for just over two weeks, with events concluding on February 22. Taking place in both Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, the events range from ice hockey to skiing to curling. The games are a perfect excuse to get together with friends, eat themed snacks, and watch some of the best athletes in the world compete.
Food & Drinks
With the games taking place in the snowy conditions of winter, it only makes sense that at your watch party, you serve your own “snowy” treats. Real snow is obviously not the most tasty treat, so you can settle for the next best thing. Serve powdered donuts and snowball cookies to mimic the actual snow that athletes will be competing in. TikToker Sarah Kraffty has a super easy recipe for snowball cookies. They’re perfect if you and your friends are nut lovers, but the key ingredient is the powdered sugar: that’s how the cookies get their name.
You can’t host an winter Olympics watch party without paying homage to the most iconic Olympic treat. The chocolate muffin from the 2024 Paris Olympics took the internet by storm, and the entire world wanted to get their hands on the muffin that was only available at the Olympic Village. Luckily, people were able to create copycat recipes. There’s a number of recipe combinations that you and your friends can try out to achieve the Olympic Village muffin. Whether you choose to add chocolate pudding or instant coffee, you’ll end up with some sort of variation of the iconic muffin.
Of course, you can’t just serve your guests desserts: you’ll need a main course to feast on while you watch the world’s greatest athletes compete. What better dish to serve than risotto alla milanese — a traditional dish from Milan that has a vibrant, gold color, just like a medal? It’s made just like regular risotto is, but it’s the saffron that gives it its golden hue.
Lastly, you’ll need something to wash down all these treats. What better way to stay warm than with some hot drinks? You can set up a hot chocolate bar, complete with whipped cream, marshmallows, and added toppings like peppermint. Sip on your warm, chocolate drinks while you watch athletes brave the cold conditions to compete for gold.
Entertainment
While you watch the athletes on your screen compete in games, you can play your own games with your friends. If you want something to play as you watch the games unfold, consider making your own Winter Olympics bingo cards. You can fill out each square with your own custom predictions, like “USA takes home the first gold medal” or “announcer calls something ‘historic.’” You can even give the winner a gold medal (a fake one, of course).
You can also become the judges yourselves while watching. Make your own score cards with numbers and rate performances, like figure skating, snowboarding, and ski jumping, based on your own criteria. If you wanna make it competitive with your friends, offer a prize to whoever’s score is closest to the actual score determined by the judges.
Decorations
To contrast the icy, snowy conditions you’ll be seeing on your screen, it’s necessary to keep the vibes of your party as cozy as possible. Just because the athletes are comfortable in the frigid conditions of Milan doesn’t mean you have to be freezing, too. Decorate your space, whether it’s a dorm or an apartment, with plenty of cozy blankets and pillows to lounge on as you watch the games.
To make your space match the winter vibes of the games, check out Amazon for some budget-friendly, on-theme decorations. These hanging snowflakes are only $12 and can be attached to the ceiling of your space to mimic the snowy weather of Italy.
For plates, napkins, and silverware, opt for something gold to mimic the gold medals that plenty of athletes will be taking home. For $27, you can get a set of gold plates, napkins, cups, and silverware on Amazon. Just because you won’t be bringing home any gold medals of your own doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some treats off your own version of a gold medal.