Representatives from the National Olympic Committees (NOC) and National Paralympic Committees (NPC) from the seven countries arrived in Italy on January 30 for their two-week inspection.

Venues situated in Bormio, Livigno, Anterselva, Cortina d'Ampezzo and Val Di Fiemme are all due to be inspected during the visit.

Meetings are also set to be held between Milan Cortina 2026 organisers and the experts from the NOCs and NPCs to gain a greater understanding of preparations for the Games.

"[It is] a fundamental opportunity for the representatives of the National Olympic and Paralympic Committees and the Organising Committee of Milano Cortina 2026 to discuss all those technical and sporting aspects essential in the process of approaching the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic competitions," a statement from Milan Cortina 2026 read.

"But that's not all.

"These inspections on the competition fields are followed by a series of meetings on topics that are equally important from an organizational point of view, such as for example hospitality, logistics, transport and the Olympic Villages."

Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo are scheduled to stage the Winter Olympics from February 6 to 22 in 2026.

The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Coordination Commission staged its first in-person visit in December.

Commission chair Sari Essayah said there had been "positive progress" and identified a domestic partner programme as being one of the key priorities for the Milan Cortina 2026 Organising Committee.

There have previously been financial concerns over the staging of the Games with local politicians calling a meeting with then-Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi after no sponsors had been signed.

Since then, partnerships with Esselunga and Randstad Italia have been announced by the Organising Committee.

Political changes in Italy which led to far-right Brothers of Italy party leader Giorgia Meloni becoming Prime Minister in September last year delayed planned structural reforms at the Organising Committee.

Andrea Varnier, former IOC advisor and Turin 2006 managing director of image and events, replaced Vincenzo Novari as chief executive last November.

There are also questions marks over Milan Cortina 2026's plan to redevelop the Eugenio Monti sliding track in Cortina d'Ampezzo while there is opposition to a proposal to move speed skating from Milan to Turin.