A festive countdown to Milano Cortina 2026: how TCL\u2019s support is putting Milan\u2019s Christmas tree at the centre of a month-long celebration of Olympic dreams. <\/p>\n
Thousands of spectators gathered in Milan\u2019s Piazza del Duomo for the city\u2019s annual tree-lighting ceremony, yet the 2025 edition marked the start of something bigger. <\/p>\n
A highlight of the festive calendar, this year\u2019s event unveiled a 29-metre tree and an open-to-all winter wonderland created by Worldwide Olympic Partner TCL as part of its Wishes for Greatness campaign with the City of Milan. <\/p>\n
As the tree twinkled to life, the city marked its countdown to the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, which are to begin in February. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a big moment for us,\u201d said Stefan Streit, Chief Marketing Officer of TCL Europe, recalling the launch night. \u201cThis is a landmark event in Milan. It\u2019s important for us to connect with the local community in this festive moment alongside the latest milestone in our Olympic campaign.\u201d <\/p>\n
The \u201cWishes for Greatness\u201d winter wonderland arrives in Milan<\/p>\n
The winter wonderland will remain open until 6 January, centred on the newly lit tree and unified by the idea that every heartfelt wish can inspire something bigger. TCL calls it Wishes for Greatness, a concept woven through five igloo installations to reflect the five Olympic rings, each representing a different continent, and symbolising the world joining together. <\/p>\n
Within the igloos, TCL displays, sound systems and innovative home appliances turn Olympic dreams into sensory encounters. In the European \u2018Harmony Theatre\u2019, visitors step into a stylised opera-house setting where TCL\u2019s X11K QD-Mini LED TV and Z100 Wireless Free Sound Speaker create the illusion of a front-row seat to a figure skating performance. Guests can also try TCL\u2019s RayNeo AR glasses, which overlay skating performances in their natural field of view \u2014 a display equivalent to a 201-inch screen. <\/p>\n
For Streit, sport is the perfect way to relay TCL\u2019s message. \u201cWe believe that sport is a great platform to talk about inspiring greatness,\u201d he said. \u201cAthletes often have a moment of inspiration \u2013 an event or experience \u2013 something that made them train hard enough to become world-class.\u201d <\/p>\n
The other igloos draw on different cultural references, with the Asia igloo introducing wishes inspired by traditional fortune cookies, encouraging visitors to interpret the experience in a way that reflects their own hopes for the future. \u201cWe want to encourage everyone to dream big and empower their own future,\u201d Streit explained. <\/p>\n
Team TCL: the face of TCL\u2019s Olympic journey<\/p>\n
To deepen that sense of connection, TCL has established Team TCL<\/a>, comprised of athletes, everyday people, and TCL products that dare to go beyond limits and embrace TCL\u2019s spirit of “Inspire Greatness.\u201d This includes 14 exceptional winter athletes whose stories reflect the values shared by TCL and the Olympics. The line-up includes TCL Global Brand Ambassador and freestyle skier Eileen Gu, as well as athletes selected for their relevance to local audiences. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a way to bring the Olympic spirit closer to each country,\u201d Streit explained. \u201cIn the Netherlands, for example, ice skating is huge, so we have partnered with Dutch speed skater Joy Beune. In Italy, we have alpine skier Alex Vinatzer, and in the Nordics we have cross-country skiers, including Sweden\u2019s Frida Karlsson.\u201d <\/p>\n The team will feature across social media, advertising and in-person moments throughout the countdown to Milano Cortina 2026, amplifying the \u201cWishes for Greatness\u201d message.<\/p>\n Connecting the world through sport<\/p>\n Beyond the Piazza Del Duomo, TCL\u2019s technology will transform how people watch the Games. This even extends to the technical infrastructure of the Games. The brand will provide TVs, monitors and technical assistance for the Olympic Broadcasting Services at the Milan hub, helping bring all the energy and action of the Games to audiences worldwide. <\/p>\n Meanwhile, inside the athletes\u2019 village, TCL TVs, refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners will create what Streit calls \u2018chill-out corners\u2019 \u2014 spaces where athletes can relax together between competitions. The company\u2019s technology will also power \u2018Athlete Moments\u2019, connecting athletes to friends and family immediately after competing via instant video feeds. \u201cThat\u2019s a TCL moment,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a direct integration of how our products support the spirit of the Games.\u201d <\/p>\n This is in line with TCL\u2019s broader ambitions. \u201cWe wanted visitors to feel excitement and see how technology is enabling people to feel the energy of the Olympics better than ever before.\u201d <\/p>\n For viewers watching at home, TCL aims to elevate the experience through its latest Mini-LED televisions. \u201cWe want to make every moment special,\u201d he said. \u201cIf people watch the Games on our screens, they\u2019ll have a beautiful experience \u2014 higher contrasts, more colours, and sound systems that feel like home cinema.\u201d <\/p>\n A tree rooted in sustainability<\/p>\n Despite its scale, the festive installation is imbued with sustainability and circular-economy principles. The tree was felled in the Dolomites for road-safety reasons before being transported to Milan. Its steel support structure is rented and reusable; its base has been used for seven years; and its snowflake crown is making its third public appearance. Once the festivities end, the tree will be repurposed into wooden boards and donated for community initiatives in Monza province. <\/p>\n