In October 2018, the IOC appointed the following members and stakeholder representatives to the Evaluation Commission that will assess the candidate cities for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

[2] Milan–Cortina d'Ampezzo was selected as host city of the 2026 Winter Olympics after beating Stockholm–Åre by 13 votes on 24 June 2019 at the 134th IOC Session in Lausanne, Switzerland.

[8] Four of these (Calgary, Sapporo, Sion, and Stockholm) joined the dialogue stage at its launch on 29 September 2017, and took part in the PyeongChang 2018 Observer Programme.

[16][17] On 10 March 2018, the mayor of Turin, Chiara Appendino, confirmed that a bid to host the Games on the 20th anniversary of the 2006 Winter Olympics was being explored.

[18][non-primary source needed] She suggested that the bid would introduce a new, revolutionary model for hosting the Games, with sustainability at the forefront.

The not-for-profit entity would have the task of overseeing the analysis and research necessary to evaluate the feasibility of an eventual candidature of Turin to host the Winter Olympics.

[21] On 29 March, two days before the deadline for cities to join the dialogue stage, it was confirmed that CONI would bid to host the 2026 Games in Milan and Turin, and that a letter of intent had been sent to the IOC.

A decision on which city would lead the potential Italian bid for the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games was to be made on either 1 August or 17 September 2018.

[23] At a conference on 4 July 2018, Appendino presented the "Turin 2026" project and its candidacy, describing the opportunity of a double candidature with Milan as "a chit-chat of the press I haven't seen yet".

[35] The alpine events were planned to be held in Åre, a ski resort that is 520 km (323 mi) away from Stockholm, at least three hours travel time by air and car.

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi confirmed on 16 September 2015 that a group of community leaders were working on a bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

[53] On 29 October 2018, after a period of unsatisfactory financial negotiations between the federal, provincial and municipal levels of government, Calgary City Council was advised to cancel the plebiscite and abandon the 2026 Olympic bid altogether.

[10] Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the country was considering a bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics in the eastern provinces of Erzurum, Erzincan and Kars.

Although Istanbul had made several attempts to host the Summer Olympics and lost to Sydney for 2000, Beijing for 2008 and Tokyo for 2020, it would be Turkey's first bid for the Winter Games.

[59] On 30 March, just hours ahead of the deadline, it was officially announced that Erzurum was confirmed as a candidate to host the 2026 Games, having received backing from Turkey's president.

[65] Sapporo Teine, which hosted the bobsleigh events at the 1972 Winter Olympics, was demolished in 1991, while the separate sliding venue, used for luge, was closed shortly after the conclusion of the Games.

While Graz would host indoor ice events (figure skating, short track, curling), Schladming would be the venue for alpine skiing.

The possibility of some events taking place in Germany (speed skating in Inzell and luge, bobsleigh, and skeleton in Schönau am Königssee) is also under consideration.

On 6 July 2018, the Austrian Olympic Committee announced that Graz had withdrawn their bid due to lack of support from the Provincial Government.

[77] The bid included venues within a square area defined at its corners by the cities of Lausanne, Martigny, Visp and Bern.

[78] Sion previously bid to host the Winter Olympics in 1976, 2002 and 2006, but lost out to Denver (Innsbruck), Salt Lake City and Turin respectively.

Sion Mayor Philippe Varone stated that since there was no back up plan, Switzerland officially withdrew from potentially bidding.