Switzerland 2026 between sports and diplomacy

A year of major national and international events, featuring the Olympic Games, world-class sporting competitions, and strategic diplomatic engagements.

Beat Feuz at the start house of the Lauberhorn downhill 2019 in Wengen, Bern, Switzerland Image by Verein Internationale Lauberhornrennen Wengen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

2026 promises to be a landmark year for Switzerland, featuring a unique combination of internationally significant sporting events alongside major political and diplomatic engagements. From the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Italy to the World Economic Forum in Davos, and including iconic competitions such as the Lauberhorn, the Tour de France Femmes, and Weltklasse Zürich, the country demonstrates its capacity to host events of global scale. At the same time, Switzerland strengthens its role as an international mediator and a platform for multilateral dialogue, showing how federalism, neutrality, and direct democracy can coexist with an active presence on the world stage.

Sports Events and Olympic Activities

Winter Olympics Milan-Cortina 2026 (6–22 February 2026) and Paralympics (6–15 March 2026): Switzerland will have an official presence with the House of Switzerland Italy 2026, open from 4 February to 15 March at three main locations (Milan at the Swiss Center, Cortina d’Ampezzo, and Bormio). This hub will showcase Swiss hospitality, innovation, sustainability, and Alpine culture, featuring events, live broadcasts of competitions, celebrations for Swiss athletes, culinary experiences, and networking opportunities for sponsors, media, and international visitors. Although the competitions will take place in Italy, Switzerland will organize complementary activities on its own territory, such as training sessions, team gatherings, and test races at ski resorts near the border (Valais, Graubünden, Ticino), as well as presentation ceremonies in Zurich, Lausanne, and Bern, engaging fans and creating a bridge between the two countries.

Lauberhorn Races (FIS Ski World Cup) in Wengen (16–18 January 2026): One of the most legendary downhill races in the world, featuring the longest and most dangerous course on the circuit. It attracts top skiers and thousands of spectators and is a classic of the Swiss Alpine sports calendar.

IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships 2026 (15–31 May 2026): Switzerland will host the event in Zurich (Swiss Life Arena) and Fribourg (BCF Arena), with the world’s 16 best national teams competing. It promises to be a major attraction for the country’s flagship sport, drawing thousands of fans, global media attention, and providing a significant boost to sports tourism in both cities.

Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2026 (1–9 August 2026): For the first time, the women’s cycling race will start in Switzerland with the Grand Départ in Lausanne (1 August, Stage 1: Lausanne → Lausanne, 137 km, featuring short climbs and a hilltop finish). The first stages will pass through Swiss regions, including Aigle and Geneva, before entering France for an iconic finale (with Mont Ventoux and a finish in Nice). The event, spanning 9 stages for a total of 1,175 km and over 18,000 meters of elevation gain, will feature professional women’s teams from around the world, ensuring extensive media coverage and an enthusiastic audience.

Tour de Suisse 2026 (17–21 June 2026): The 89th edition of Switzerland’s premier cycling race (UCI WorldTour) will introduce an innovative 5-day format, with two stages per day (one men’s, one women’s), starting and finishing in the same location, for a total of 10 stages. The “Peaks of Emotions” concept guarantees a unique experience for the audience, with daily regional changes, increased interaction, and promotion of women’s cycling. Notable participants already confirmed include Tadej Pogačar and Marlen Reusser. The detailed route (regions, elevations) will be revealed in spring 2026, but it remains a crucial test before the Tour de France, attracting international teams, fans, and media attention.

Weltklasse Zürich (27 August 2026): Held at Zurich’s Letzigrund Stadium, this is the European finale of the Wanda Diamond League, one of the most prestigious athletics meetings in the world after the Olympics and World Championships. Since 1928, it has brought together top athletes globally in sprints, hurdles, middle-distance races, jumps, and throws. Competitions award decisive points for the overall Diamond League standings and often crown the seasonal winners. The event attracts thousands of spectators, international TV coverage, and a strong influx of sports tourism, consolidating Zurich as a global athletics hub and promoting Swiss visibility and sporting tradition.

The venue of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland Image by Foundations World Economic Forum, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

International Events and Foreign Policy

The 2026 World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting, the 56th edition, will take place in Davos-Klosters from 19 to 23 January 2026 under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue.” The event will bring together over 2,500 global leaders from governments, businesses, civil society, science, and culture for forward-looking discussions on urgent global challenges.

Confirmed VIP guests and heads of state/government include Donald Trump (President of the USA), Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission), Friedrich Merz (Federal Chancellor of Germany), Guy Parmelin (President of the Swiss Confederation 2026), Volodymyr Zelenskyy (President of Ukraine), Javier Milei (President of Argentina), Prabowo Subianto (President of Indonesia), Pedro Sánchez (Prime Minister of Spain), as well as leaders such as Mark Carney (Prime Minister of Canada), He Lifeng (Vice Premier of China), António Guterres (UN Secretary-General), Kristalina Georgieva (IMF), Ajay Banga (World Bank), and hundreds of CEOs from major multinational corporations.

The program focuses on five key challenges that require collaborative solutions:

Cooperation in a more contested world (geopolitics, global security, alliances under pressure);
Unlocking new sources of economic growth;
Investing in people (employment, skills, and well-being in the era of transformation);
Distributing innovation on a large scale and responsibly (artificial intelligence, frontier technologies);
Building prosperity within planetary limits (environmental sustainability, climate resilience, energy, and resources).

The House of Switzerland, Switzerland’s official diplomacy hub, will operate from 20 to 22 January, hosting events, bilateral meetings, and briefings on strategic topics such as cybersecurity, pharmaceutical supply chains, AI training, and cultural exchanges. This initiative reinforces Switzerland’s image as a neutral country, a promoter of dialogue, and a bridge for multilateral solutions, giving Bern a strategic opportunity to consolidate its role as an international facilitator in an era of global fragmentation.

On the multilateral diplomacy front, 2026 will be a landmark year due to Switzerland’s chairmanship of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), the third in Swiss history after 1996 and 2014. Under the leadership of Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis as Chairman-in-Office, Switzerland will host high-profile events, including:

The conference “Anticipating Technologies – For a Safe and Humane Future” in Geneva (7–8 May 2026), focused on artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and conflict prevention through science diplomacy;
The meeting “From Geneva to Helsinki: Founding Process and Core Purpose of the OSCE” in Bern (3–4 September 2026).

These events, along with the OSCE Ministerial Council at the end of the year, highlight Switzerland’s commitment to peace, security, and trust in Europe, in a particularly tense geopolitical context.

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In summary, 2026 confirms Switzerland as a country capable of combining sporting excellence with diplomatic leadership. From major athletic events that attract audiences and media from around the world, to its role as a neutral platform for international dialogue, the Confederation demonstrates how federalism, neutrality, and direct democracy can become instruments of global prestige. Between legendary ski slopes, velodromes, and high-level diplomatic meetings, Switzerland establishes itself as a protagonist in a year where sport, culture, and politics intertwine, strengthening national identity and its reputation on the international stage.