The Winter Olympics in Milan are halfway across the globe, but Central Ohio enthusiasts expect an uptick in interest in their sports this month as people watch the Games. Why it matters: The Olympics don't just boost the economy of host cities — they can be a crucial window during which niche and seasonal sports find new lifelong participants.

The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics officially begins today with the opening ceremony and a number of early events. Curling began the action over the past two days and continues this Friday, as does the women’s ice hockey competition that saw Team USA beat Czech Republic yesterday.

Along with Canada, Team USA is one of just two countries that have won gold in women's ice hockey since the event was added to the Olympics in 1998. The Americans won that inaugural year in Nagano, then endured four straight Canadian victories until 2018, when Team USA struck back with a dramatic overtime win to capture gold in Pyeongchang.

Who are the favorites and underdogs heading into the men's and women's 2026 Olympic ice hockey tournaments?

Here's what to know about Thursday's slate of women's ice hockey games at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, including how to watch information.

The Russians would have fielded one of the most talented teams in the tournament

For Laila Edwards, this year’s Winter Olympics is about far more than sport, and that’s something she’s getting comfortable with.

The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics’ early events continued on day -1 ahead of Friday's opening ceremony. After opening the games on day -2 as the first event to start competitive play, curling continued with wins for the U.

MILAN (AP) — All the worries, strife and scrutiny that lingered around the construction of the main hockey arena for the Milan Cortina Olympics dissipated as the first game there into a celebration for the host country.