February 3, 2026

‘ROAD TO THE GAMES’ – ENABLING ATHLETE-FIRST STORYTELLING AT MILANO CORTINA

Bern, 3 February 2026:

As the world turns its attention toward the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) is gearing up for its second edition of Road to the Games, a pioneering marketing framework for athlete-first storytelling before, during and after Games time run in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

The Road to the Games enables eligible brands to celebrate their sponsored athletes’ and National Olympic Committee (NOC)/National Paralympic Committee (IPC) teams’ journeys in authentic, non-commercial ways — amplifying their stories across predominantly digital channels — while strengthening engagement with younger fans and promoting the Olympic and Paralympic values of inclusion, perseverance, and unity.

Building on insights from the Road to Paris pilot project in 2024, which united the IOC, IPC, and 17 leading sports brands to celebrate more than 4,000 athletes across 125 countries, generating 3 billion engagements — this next phase at Milano Cortina represents a continuation of that success.

A NEW MODEL FOR CELEBRATING ATHLETES

‘Road to the Games’ offers eligible WFSGI member brands the ability to celebrate the athletes they support using human-centred, non-commercial stories that uphold the integrity of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, while respecting the existing Olympic and Paralympic marketing framework, funding models and the principles of solidarity. Athletes remain the focal point: their backgrounds, challenges, triumphs, and personalities.

This approach is grounded in the IOC and IPC’s commitment to expanding digital engagement and ensuring that Olympic and Paralympic stories reflect the diversity and reality of athletes worldwide.

Milano Cortina 2026 will be the first Winter Games to fully benefit from this evolved framework, providing an unprecedented platform for winter athletes — from global icons to emerging talents in traditionally underrepresented sports — to be seen and heard.

Road to Games participating brand: Under Armour

Emma Zwiebler CEO WFSGI explains, “For decades, the sporting goods industry has supported athletes’ year-round—long before and long after Olympic and Paralympic competition. Road to the Games acknowledges this contribution, providing a structured and transparent way for brands to highlight the athletes and teams they support and to invest in elevating their incredible stories in and beyond the Olympic community, particularly the next generation. The framework remains fully aligned with the principles of Rule 40, ensuring that communications remain athlete centred, non-commercial, and values-driven.”

MILANO CORTINA 2026: A PLATFORM FOR NEW VOICES

Road to the Games at Milano Cortina 2026 will help bring forward stories that might otherwise remain untold stories of perseverance in smaller federations, athletes balancing careers with training, and the unique challenges of winter disciplines that require extraordinary commitment.

Ansley O’Neal, WFSGI Head of Storytelling shares, “Road to the Games is about elevating the human spirit of the athletes who inspire us. As we look to Milano Cortina, we have an extraordinary opportunity to celebrate athletes in a way that honours their lived experiences and the communities that support them. This next chapter represents an exciting moment in the relationship between the IOC, the IPC, and the sporting goods industry—one rooted in integrity, shared purpose, and a belief in storytelling as a force for good.”

Road to the Games participating brands (L to R): Oakley, Uniqlo, Atomic

This new phase aims to:

Expand youth and global fan engagement
Broaden representation across winter sports and geographies
Support athletes’ well-being and visibility in the lead-up to and during the Games
Reinforce the shared missions to strengthen the Olympic and Paralympic Movements through meaningful, human storytelling

The 26 WFSGI Member Brands taking part in the Road to the Games Milano Cortina 2026 are as follows:

adidas

Atomic

Bauer Hockey

Blizzard

Decathlon

DESCENTE

Dynastar

The FACTION Collective

Giro

Lange

Li-Ning