The German official met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to discuss the event which is set to be the country's first time hosting since Turin 2006.

"What I have seen here is a clear explanation of the status of all the projects," Bach said, as reported by ANSA.

"So we are confident that they will move forward and everything will be in place at the time of the Games.

"Italy and the regions involved have so much experience of organising top winter sports events that I think our confidence is well justified.

"We were impressed by the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics project.

"We have seen a great effort by all the authorities at all levels.

"We can't wait.

"We are really confident about the Winter Games".

It was the second meeting between Bach and Meloni as they met last September before she was sworn in as Italy's first female Prime Minister the following month.

One of the main issues to sort out in the Games' organisation was the venue for the speed skating competitions.

The Fiera Milano Exhibition Centre and Turin's Oval Lingotto were going head-to-head to seal approval to host the event.

The Milanese venue was unanimously chosen by the Organising Committee following a lengthy battle with the sport's 2006 Games venue.

"On this occasion the competition venue for the speed skating discipline will exist only for the duration of the competitions: a sustainable and innovative formula, which will allow Italy to be an example for the next editions of the Games, with a consequent strengthening of the binomial Sport and Olympic Movement," Milan Cortina 2026 said.

"Today's vote is the result of in-depth analysis of all available details of both dossiers."