Which Countries Have Hosted Both the Summer and Winter Olympics?

By Jayson Panganiban July 25, 2024 07:21

Photo by Antonin Thuillier/AFP/Getty Images

The Olympic Games are a major international multi-sport event that includes summer and winter games. Few countries have had the privilege of hosting both the Summer and Winter Olympics, a testament to their robust infrastructure, institutional capital, and deep-rooted culture in sports. This dual hosting showcases a country's logistical competence, political stability, and immense popular support for the Olympics. Here's a closer look at the nations which have successfully hosted both variations of the Olympic Games.

Summer-Winter Hosting Countries

United States

Summer Olympics: 1904 (St. Louis), 1932 (Los Angeles), 1960 Squaw Valley, 1980, and '84, Atlanta, picked for the Games of Paris.
Winter Games: 1932 (Lake Placid), 1960 (Squaw Valley), Summer Sports Program Only - Los Angeles Winter Program only + Lake Tahoe Reno Mountain Resort, NV., USA & Canada hosting?

The United States has hosted the Summer Olympics seven times and the Winter Olympics five times. Among the highlights were the 1932 and 1980 Lake Placid Winter Games, two editions demonstrating how adept this fair nation is at handling snow sports challenges like no other. Reinforcing the kernel of the Olympic spirit, these were indeed city resources that came home to roost a surplus from staging, gaining reinvestment into equity in Los Angeles's structure following the 1984 Summer Games.

Canada

Summer Olympics: Montreal 1976
Winter Games: Olympics d'hiver 1988 (Calgary), Jeux olympique de Vancouver 2010

In 1976, Montreal hosted the Summer Games, but similar delays and cost overruns left it with a debt that was not finally paid off until decades later. But if you look at the 1988 Calgary Winter Games and the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, both were financial successes and logistical masterpieces that proved our country's ability to manage the idiosyncrasies of winter sports in ways no other countries can.

Japan

Summer Olympics: 1964 (Tokyo), 1972 (Sapporo) 2020 (Tokyo)
Paralympics: 1998 (Nagano)
Winter Olympics: 1972 (Sapporo) 1998 (Nagano)

Japan first hosted the 1964 Tokyo Summer Games, returning to the international stage after World War II. Then, it returned with a pair of Winter Olympics for Sapporo in 1972 and Nagano in 1998. In October 2020, the Tokyo Summer Olympics was held a year late because it had been postponed due to COVID-19.

Italy

Summer Olympics: 1960 (Rome)
Winter Games: 1956 (Cortina d'Ampezzo), Turin (2006), Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo (2026)

Italy has hosted both the Summer and Winter Games in Olympic history. The nation's ancient legacy was last put center stage, epitomized by the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics. Combining the 1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Games and the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics, means Italy will have hosted three times by the next Winter Games.

Germany

Summer Olympics: 1936 (Berlin)
Winter Olympics: 1936 (Garmisch-Partenkirchen)

Germany has a long history of hosting the Olympics has had successes closely tied to controversy. Nazi propaganda loomed over both the 1936 Summer Games in Berlin and Winter Olympics at Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Characteristics of Nations Organizing Both Summer and Winter Olympics

Over the years, a few countries have been able to hold both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games due to factors like:

Strong Infrastructure and Host Capabilities: Nations that have sufficed in all infrastructure, sports facilities, transport systems, and accommodations are more self-assured to manage the hosting responsibilities of both the Summer and Winter Games.
Institutional Capital: The key enabling resource capital needed is institutional, for hosting the Olympics involves a considerable outlay of funds, and institutions with high economic standing and finance sources will be selected as hosts.
Countries with Winter Sports Experience: Nations that have a long history of competing in winter sports, such as skiing or ice hockey, often receive preference when it comes to hosting the Winter Olympics.
Logistical Competence: A decade before an Olympic Games, effective logistical capability is required to plan and execute complex logistical issues such as security, transportation, or event management. Countries that stand out in these areas are more likely to be picked.
Political Stability & Popular Approval: Political conditions and good popular feeling about the Games are important when considering a country's bid to host an Olympic Games.

The capacity to host the Summer and Winter Olympic Games indicates a country's infrastructure, financial cost limits, logistical power, and caliber in winter sports. The United States, Canada, Japan, Italy, and Germany have all set standards in one way or another and are as historical as the Olympic legacy. Through the quadrennial celebration of human potential that the Olympics represent, these countries have engraved their names in the annals of Olympic history, exemplifying the unifying power of sport.