"I am very proud of this fantastic team," he said. "We created this all together. It was very difficult at the beginning but all the people have faith from the beginning."

Bach told reporters, "I would like to congratulate Milan/Cortina for this victory, which for the IOC is a great day.

"We have the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in a traditional winter sport country with experience and passionate fans and athletes.

"With this enthusiasm and support of the Italians, the foundations are laid for fantastic preparations," the IOC chief said.