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5 February 2026

Why Olympic Winter Games 2026 Are Hard to Find on Vienna Screens

Minimalist white paper-cut icons of winter sports on blue: snowflake, skates, skis, curling, hockey, luge, torch

Summer Games vs. Winter Reality

Public viewing was common in Vienna during the Summer Olympics 2024. Warm evenings, outdoor spaces and evening competitions made screenings attractive for restaurants and bars. For the Olympic Winter Games Milano–Cortina 2026, running from 6 to 22 February 2026, the situation is different. Many competitions take place during the day, temperatures limit outdoor formats, and audience numbers are harder to predict. As a result, fewer Viennese venues offer public viewing.

Legal limits reduce visibility

According to information published by the Austrian Economic Chamber (WKO), public viewing of the Winter Games is strictly regulated. While WKO members in tourism and leisure do not need an AKM licence under certain conditions, promotion is largely forbidden. Venues may not advertise Olympic screenings publicly, may not charge entry, may only use standard TV screens or small projections, and may not use Olympic logos or sponsor branding. This explains why no advertised public viewing for the opening ceremony, scheduled for tomorrow at 20:00, could be found in Vienna.

Few exceptions, focused formats

Some locations still show selected competitions quietly. One example is Gleis//Garten, a large food hall in Vienna's 12th district near Meidling station. Located on former railway grounds, it combines international street food with an industrial setting. Gleis//Garten plans unadvertised screenings of ski races and ice hockey, without promotional framing.

The opening ceremony, traditionally the most relevant Olympic moment for fashion-focused audiences, is not part of the screening program at Gleis//Garten. The ceremony is expected to draw attention for the official team outfits. As with other venues in Vienna, the absence of the opening ceremony reflects the general limitations on public Olympic screenings rather than a lack of cultural interest.


Image: A clean, minimalist white paper-cutout style illustration on light blue background featuring winter sports icons: snowflake, ice skates, downhill skis, cross-country skis, curling stone & broom, hockey stick & puck, luge sled, and torch. Illustration: © Fashion.at / Generated with Grok by xAI