Google kicks off 2026 Winter Olympics countdown with curling-inspired Doodle
The tech giant chose curling as the opening feature, unveiling an animated logo that depicts an athlete sliding a curling stone across the ice.
Google has launched its first Doodle dedicated to the 2026 Winter Olympics, marking the beginning of a series expected to highlight events from the upcoming global sporting spectacle.
The tech giant chose curling as the opening feature, unveiling an animated logo that depicts an athlete sliding a curling stone across the ice.
The animated Doodle appears on Google's homepage and captures a moment familiar to curling fans; the controlled push of a stone gliding toward its target. Accompanying the artwork, Google noted that the illustration honours the sport of curling.
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The 2026 Winter Olympics, formally known as the XXV Winter Olympic Games and widely referred to as Milano Cortina 2026, will be held from 6 to 22 February across venues in Lombardy and northeastern Italy. The Games will bring together athletes from around the world to compete in a range of winter sports.
Google's Doodles have evolved significantly since their modest beginnings.
The company's first altered logo appeared in 1998, when founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin inserted a playful graphic to signal they were attending the Burning Man festival.
What began as a simple out-of-office indicator has since grown into a creative tradition, with more than 5,000 Doodles produced to commemorate historic events, cultural icons and global celebrations.
