Winter Olympics Village is a short-form studio...TikTok, Insta Occupied Players [Milan Olympics]

*This content was translated by AI.

"Olympic Village gnocchi is my chocolate muffin"

The 2026 Milan/Cortina D'Ampezzo Winter Olympic Village has emerged as a new 'hot place' for TikTok and Instagram. Short-form content about the daily lives of athletes outside the stadium occupies social media and presents a new way to watch the Olympics.

The U.S. media Fast Company reported on the 9th (local time) that "Olympic athletes have dominated TikTok since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) relaxed its social media rules for athletes in 2024." In fact, more than 37,000 #winterolymics hashtags and more than 900 #milancortina2026 have been posted on TikTok.

From the arrival Vlog of the Olympic Village to room tours, restaurant food reviews, and unboxing uniforms, the athletes capture every moment other than the game. American figure ice dancer Emilea Zingas unveiled her makeup products for the Olympics, while Canadian speed skater Brooklyn McDougall communicated with 36,000 followers with a video of unboxing the Lululemon uniform.

South Korean figure ice dancer Im Hae-na posted a video modeling North Face padded jackets and luggage, while South African snowboard Matt Smith produced content sampling lasagna and pizza at the Olympic Village restaurant. American snowboard Hana Norman parodied the muffin review of Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen, who caused a viral sensation at the 2024 Paris Olympics, saying, "Olympic Village gnocchi is my chocolate muffin."

Room tour contents are also gaining huge popularity. If the "corrugated bed," which is said to be made to prevent intimacy at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, was a hot topic, at the Milan Olympics, a British athlete unveiled the bed, saying, "This time it's a strong material."

NBC has sent more than 25 creators to Italy for the Olympics. Ashley E and Mariah Rose are producing content locally on TikTok, Cleo Abram and Jordan Howlett on YouTube, and Lily Arnold and Carlo & Sarah on Meta. "NBC shares a wide range of highlights with Meta, TikTok, and YouTube as digital partners, and Reddit has also been included in the partnership for the first time at this Olympics," Sportico said.

Players' Instagram releases are also drawing attention. Eileen Gu, a freestyle skier representing China, released a "daily routine" video on Instagram Reels on January 9 and recorded 1 million views in 10 days. The 29-second video included brushing teeth, breakfast, ski lifts, airbag training, a 5-km run, media interviews, doping tests and reading in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

Canadian figure skater Maddie Siszas caused a viral sensation by releasing an email to a university professor on an Instagram story saying, "I'm requesting an extension of my assignment because of the Olympic Games." Swiss curling mix-double couple Breyer Schwaler-Wheeliman and Yannick Schwaler appeared on the ice with Baby River after the game to convey their warmth.

The IOC updated its guidelines to allow athletes before the Paris Olympics to film videos in protected areas, post them on social media an hour before the start of the game, and share practice and opening and closing ceremonies. However, live streaming, video for more than two minutes, and actual game scenes are still prohibited.

"The IOC and the Olympic Organizing Committee recognized that social media was not a competition, but a tool to promote the competition and connect with fans," Sportico said. "The athletes will be able to tell their stories directly, and the IOC will be able to inform the wider audience of the Olympics."

"Snowboarder Jamie Anderson said, 'Content production is what's happening now, the future of marketing and sports,'" Yahoo Sports said. "YouTubers are making more money than NFL players, so players have no choice but to follow the flow."

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, American rugby star Ilona Maher increased her Instagram following from 640,000 to 3.5 million, while Norwegian swimmer Christiansen became a "Muffin Man" with 83 million views with a chocolate muffin review video. Now, Olympic Village has become a "short-form studio" as important as the stadium.

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*This content was translated by AI.