Catalonia and Aragon agree to split 2030 Winter Olympic Games competitions

The governments of Catalonia and Aragon have reached a deal to split the 2030 Winter Olympic Games competitions if their joint candidacy is selected. The two Spanish territories will bid to host the sports event together after some tension, as first published by La Vanguardia newspaper and later confirmed by the Catalan News Agency (ACN). 

Aragon, the region neighboring Catalonia to the west, had opposed the bid unless both territories carried equal weight. "No Games will be held," the region’s leader, Javier Lambán, said in late January.  

According to the agreement reached on Friday, Catalonia would host ski competitions in the Pyrenees mountains: alpine skiing, downhill, and slalom at La Molina-Masella ski resort, and snowboarding and freestyle competitions at Baqueira Beret resort. 

Ski mountaineering, a first at the 2026 Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympic games, would take place at Boí Taüll ski area. 

Meanwhile, Aragon would host biathlon, cross-country skiing, figure skating, and speed skating sports events. 

The Catalan capital will be organizing the ice hockey events at Barcelona's Palau Sant Jordi.

This is a "technical agreement" as sources have confirmed to ACN, as the political one will be finalized soon. This one will be then submitted to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 

Filling the Sink podcast

Catalonia is divided over the potential bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics in the Pyrenees and Barcelona, with wildly differing opinions on climate and sustainability, sporting facilities, development and infrastructure, and costs. 

Listen to our Filling the Sink podcast to learn more about the controversy and the different positions across the territory. 

Referendum to decide future of Games

Residents of the Pyrenees are set to vote in a referendum to decide whether the government should bid to host the 2030 Olympics in July.

Although the final date has not yet been announced, presidency minister Laura Vilagrà stated on March 17 that the postponement, as it was expected to be held in June, was due to "timing issues." 

The Catalan presidency minister had said that the goal was to celebrate the referendum by the end of the Spring, which most interpreted as meaning by the end of June. However, because of "parliamentary timings," the vote could be held "at the beginning" of July.  

The referendum will ask residents whether Catalonia should bid to host the Winter Olympic Games after critics pointed out what they argue would be the event’s negative impact on several counties.