Alibaba Cloud has officially announced the 30-day countdown to the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, marking a major milestone in Olympic broadcasting history. The cloud computing giant, serving as the official Worldwide Olympic Partner since 2017, is deploying advanced AI-powered infrastructure and OBS Cloud 3.0 technology to transform how billions of viewers experience the Games.
Key Technology Deployments
OBS Cloud 3.0 Goes Live
The Milano Cortina 2026 Games will run on OBS Cloud 3.0, the latest iteration of the Olympic Broadcasting Services cloud platform built on Alibaba Cloud infrastructure. This represents a historic shift cloud broadcasting will serve as the primary content distribution method for the first time in Olympic history, surpassing traditional satellite transmission.
The Virtual OB Van technology enables technical directors to control live broadcasts remotely from studios in Milan or other locations, managing camera feeds from mountain venues up to 300 kilometers away. This cloud-based workflow eliminates the need for on-site broadcast trucks in remote Alpine locations while maintaining high-definition, low-latency signal quality.
MUCAR AI Replay System
Building on its successful deployment at Paris 2024, the MUCAR (Multiple Camera Replay) system will operate across 14 venues covering 21 sports and disciplines. This AI-powered technology delivers freeze-frame slow-motion replays from multiple camera angles simultaneously, creating the “bullet time” effect that allows viewers to analyze athlete movements in granular detail.
CurlingHunter AI Analytics
The 2026 Games will introduce CurlingHunter, an AI system that tracks curling stone paths in real time and projects a digital “Ghost Line” on the ice. This visualization shows the predicted path and curl of each stone, helping viewers understand the strategic complexity of what organizers call “chess on ice” before the stone comes to rest.
Why It Matters
Broadcasting Without Boundaries
The shift to cloud-first broadcasting solves a critical logistical challenge unique to Milano Cortina 2026. Competition venues span hundreds of kilometers across the Italian Alps, making traditional broadcast infrastructure deployment expensive and environmentally costly. Alibaba Cloud’s virtual production galleries allow Media Rights-Holders to access, edit, and distribute Olympic content remotely without deploying physical equipment to each mountain location.
Environmental Impact Reduction
Cloud-based workflows significantly reduce the carbon footprint of Games-time operations. The Alibaba Cloud Energy Management System (EMS), first deployed at Paris 2024, collects comprehensive energy consumption data from Olympic venues to optimize sustainability efforts. By eliminating the need for on-site broadcast equipment transportation and power consumption at remote Alpine venues, the cloud infrastructure delivers measurable environmental benefits.
Enhanced Fan Experience
The AI-powered technologies create new ways for viewers to engage with Olympic competition. MUCAR’s multi-angle replays provide unprecedented visibility into athletic performance nuances, while CurlingHunter’s predictive visualization makes technical sports more accessible to casual viewers. These innovations align with the IOC’s “Olympic AI Agenda” launched in April 2024, which recognizes Alibaba’s pivotal role in digital transformation.
Partnership Evolution
From 2017 to 2028
Alibaba became the first company to establish a long-term Olympic partnership extending to 2028, serving as the official partner for Cloud Services and E-Commerce Platform Services. The partnership has evolved through multiple Olympic cycles:
- PyeongChang 2018: First deployment of OBS Cloud 1.0
- Beijing 2022: First Winter Games hosted entirely on cloud infrastructure
- Paris 2024: OBS Cloud 3.0 debut with over two-thirds of broadcast signals distributed via cloud
- Milano Cortina 2026: Cloud broadcasting becomes primary distribution method
Beyond Broadcasting
Alibaba’s Olympic involvement extends beyond technical infrastructure. The company has operated the Official Olympic Online Store on Tmall since 2018 and recently launched the Milano Cortina 2026 mascot merchandise line featuring Tina and Milo characters. AliExpress is supporting ticketing promotions for Saver members, while Alibaba Cloud has launched an AIGC Championship inviting fans to create Olympic-themed AI-generated content for a chance to win Winter Olympics tickets.
Technical Specifications
Cloud Infrastructure Scale
Alibaba Cloud’s globally distributed infrastructure ensures low-latency content delivery to broadcasters worldwide. The OBS Cloud 3.0 platform handles multiple concurrent broadcast feeds from 14 venues across disciplines ranging from alpine skiing to ice hockey. The system architecture supports real-time AI processing for replay generation and analytics overlays without introducing perceptible latency to live broadcasts.
AI Model Capabilities
The MUCAR system employs computer vision models trained on Olympic sports footage to identify optimal camera angles and generate seamless multi-perspective replays. CurlingHunter uses trajectory prediction algorithms that account for ice conditions, stone rotation, and sweeping effects to project accurate path visualizations in real time.
What’s Next
February 6-22, 2026 Competition Window
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will officially open in 30 days, with competition running from February 6-22, 2026. Alibaba Cloud’s technical team has completed infrastructure deployment and is conducting final systems integration testing across all venues.
Long-Term Olympic Vision
OBS Chief Technology Officer Sotiris Salamouris stated that “the future of the Olympics will unfold in a cloud powered by AI,” indicating that cloud-first infrastructure will remain the standard for future Olympic Games. The Milano Cortina 2026 deployment serves as a proof of concept for even more advanced AI applications in the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics.
Ongoing Innovation
Alibaba continues developing next-generation Olympic technologies through its cloud AI research division. The company’s Memento AI-generated video experience, debuted at Paris 2024, demonstrates the potential for personalized Olympic content creation. Future Games may incorporate generative AI for real-time highlight generation, automated commentary in multiple languages, and personalized viewing experiences tailored to individual fan preferences.
Industry Impact
Broadcasting Transformation
The success of cloud-based Olympic broadcasting validates the viability of virtual production workflows for large-scale live events. Traditional sports broadcasters are watching the Milano Cortina 2026 deployment closely as a benchmark for their own cloud migration strategies. The cost savings from eliminating satellite transmission fees and on-site equipment deployment could reshape sports broadcasting economics industry-wide.
AI in Sports Analytics
CurlingHunter and MUCAR represent the leading edge of AI integration in sports broadcasting. Similar computer vision and predictive analytics technologies could expand to other sports, providing viewers with real-time insights into game strategy, player positioning, and outcome probabilities that were previously accessible only to coaches and analysts.
Featured Snippet Boxes
What is Alibaba Cloud’s role in Milano Cortina 2026?
Alibaba Cloud serves as the official Worldwide Olympic Partner providing cloud infrastructure for OBS Cloud 3.0, which powers all broadcasting operations. The company also deploys AI technologies like MUCAR multi-camera replay and CurlingHunter analytics to enhance viewer experience across 14 venues and 21 sports.
How does OBS Cloud 3.0 improve Olympic broadcasting?
OBS Cloud 3.0 enables virtual production galleries where directors remotely control broadcasts from distant venues without on-site equipment. This cloud-first approach reduces costs, lowers carbon emissions from equipment transportation, and provides broadcasters with flexible access to Olympic content for editing and distribution.
What is MUCAR technology in Olympic broadcasts?
MUCAR (Multiple Camera Replay) is an AI-powered system that captures freeze-frame slow-motion replays from multiple camera angles simultaneously, creating “bullet time” effects. The technology allows viewers to analyze athletic movements in detail from perspectives impossible with traditional single-camera replays.
When do the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics begin?
The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will officially open on February 6, 2026, with competition running through February 22, 2026. The official 30-day countdown began on January 7, 2026.
