Times Reporters Dive Into the Cheese, Pasta, and Quirks of the Winter Olympics

A team of 22 journalists from The New York Times is covering the 2026 Winter Games in Italy, reporting on everything from the sports competition to the global logistics and politics behind the event.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The New York Times has assembled a team of 22 reporters, editors, photographers, and support staff to provide comprehensive coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The team is tackling a wide range of angles, from the sports competition to the global logistics, politics, and even the food culture surrounding the games. Veteran journalists like Doug Mills and Juliet Macur are joined by newer faces like Vincent Alban, working together to capture the full scope of the Olympics across an 8,500 square mile event footprint.

Why it matters

The Winter Olympics represent a massive global event with complex moving parts, from the athletic competitions to the business, politics, and culture that underpin the games. By deploying a large, diverse reporting team, The New York Times is able to deliver in-depth, multi-faceted coverage that goes far beyond the medal counts to give readers a true insider's perspective on the Winter Olympics.

The details

The Times' Olympic coverage team includes reporters focused on sports like figure skating and ski mountaineering, as well as journalists specializing in areas like global logistics, graphics, and breaking news. They are spread out across multiple cities and venues in Italy, working together through a group chat to coordinate coverage, fact-check, and discuss the quirks of the global event. The team includes veterans like Doug Mills, who has photographed presidents for decades, as well as newcomers like visual journalism fellow Vincent Alban, covering his first Olympics.

  • The Times' Olympic coverage planning began almost as soon as the Paris games ended.
  • The team arrived in Italy in early February 2026 to begin their on-the-ground reporting.

The players

Doug Mills

A veteran Times photographer who has covered presidents for four decades and won his third Pulitzer Prize last year.

Gabriela Bhaskar

A Times photographer who recently published a story about a family self-deporting from Los Angeles.

Ilia Malinin

A figure skater known as the "Quad God" who is competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“My job is basically to say yes to their ideas as much as possible.”

— Shashank Bengali, Breaking News Team Leader

“There's always a food angle.”

— Kim Severson, Atlanta-based Food Reporter

What’s next

The Times team will continue to provide comprehensive coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, reporting on the sports competition, global logistics, politics, and cultural elements of the games.

The takeaway

The New York Times' extensive coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, with a team of 22 journalists on the ground in Italy, demonstrates the news organization's commitment to delivering in-depth, multi-faceted reporting on major global events that goes beyond the headlines to give readers a true insider's perspective.