Arrivederci Milan Cortina. Italian organizers contemplating Rome bid for 2040 Summer Olympics

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Goodbye Milan Cortina. See you in Rome in 2040?

Now that the just-concluded Winter Olympics have been hailed for setting “a new, very high standard” by IOC President Kirsty Coventry, Italian organizers are contemplating a bid for the 2040 Summer Games.

“I think our country deserves another Summer Olympics,” Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) president Luciano Buonfiglio said over the weekend. “But let’s take it step by step. A candidacy has to be agreed on and shared with the government.”

The idea of the Milan Cortina Games was born out of the rejection of Rome’s bid for the 2024 Olympics by then-Mayor Virginia Raggi a decade ago. That came four years after then-Premier Mario Monti scrapped the city’s candidacy for the 2020 Games because of financial concerns; and after a Rome bid was narrowly defeated by Athens in the final round of voting for 2004.

“Scars help you remember” the defeats, said Giovanni Malagò, the head of the Milan Cortina organizing committee and former CONI president.

But Malagò, who is also an IOC member, suggested that Rome has a couple of key advantages in Olympic circles: its “unique” history of failed bids and the centerpiece venue for any Summer candidacy.

“Rome has a 70,000-seat stadium with an athletics track — which is huge in terms of sustainability,” Malagò said.

The existing Stadio Olimpico and surrounding Foro Italico complex would be a natural setting for athletics and swimming — the two biggest sports at the Summer Games.

Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said during the Milan Cortina Games that he believes his city has “the conditions” for another bid — especially after welcoming more than 33 million people to the capital and Vatican for the 2025 Holy Year.

“If it’s considered a realistic goal, I’m open to collaborating with the IOC, government and CONI in order to create the most competitive bid possible,” Gualtieri said. “A capital like Rome should not be afraid of big challenges. The Jubilee showed off our organizational capacity for big events.”

With the 2028 Games coming up in Los Angeles and 2032 in Brisbane, Australia; and India and Qatar bidding for 2036; the 2040 Summer Games seem destined to return to Europe.

“Now is not the time to discuss this. It’s premature, wrong and even counterproductive,” Malagò said. “We need to understand the geopolitical landscape for post-2032.”

Malagò wouldn't elaborate on speculation that he will run for Rome mayor after he finishes off his Milan Cortina duties, saying he would discuss “ideas that I have in mind” after next month's Paralympics.

Andrea Abodi, Italy’s Minister for Sport and Youth, added: "It doesn’t necessarily require an announcement to build a winning bid.”

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

IOC President Kirsty Coventry, right, speaks next to President of the Milan Cortina 2026 foundation Giovanni Malago during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Verona, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attends the closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Verona, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

President of the Milan Cortina 2026 foundation Giovanni Malago and IOC President Kirsty Coventry, right, embrace during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Verona, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Italian President Sergio Mattarella, right, Andrea Abodi, Italian Minister for Sport and Youth, center, and Luciano Buonfiglio, President of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), listen to the national anthem during the podium ceremony for an alpine ski, women's super-G race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

President of the Milan Cortina 2026 foundation Giovanni Malago speaks during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Verona, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 23, 2026--

Microdramas are rapidly emerging as one of the fastest-scaling formats in online video. Omdia analysis of mobile usage data shows that in the US users now spend more time per day watching microdramas on mobile apps than they do watching Netflix, Disney+ or Amazon Prime Video on mobile devices.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260222198738/en/

Omdia estimates global microdrama revenues reached $11 billion in 2025 and will grow to $14 billion by the end of 2026. Of that, $3 billion will be generated outside China, with the US now the largest international market.

By 2026, the US will account for 50% of all microdrama revenues outside China, reaching $1.5 billion, underlining the format’s rapid global expansion.

“Microdramas are no longer a niche experiment. They are becoming a core driver of mobile video engagement,” said Maria Rua Aguete, Head of Media and Entertainment at Omdia speaking at MIP London. “What stands out is not just revenue growth, but the intensity of usage. On mobile, microdrama apps are generating more daily viewing time than the world’s biggest streaming platforms.”

Microdramas outperform streamers on daily minutes watched

Typically, one to two minutes long, vertically formatted and mobile first, microdramas primarily target women aged 25 to 45, although new genres are trying to reach more male and other new audiences too.

Discovery is driven through platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

Omdia’s analysis of Q4 2025 mobile usage data from Sensor Tower shows that in the US, microdrama apps such as ReelShort generate higher daily mobile viewing time than major streaming services:

While Netflix continues to lead in monthly active mobile users in the US, with around 12 million compared with 1.1 million for ReelShort, engagement intensity tells a different story.

“Microdramas are winning the battle for attention, rather than scale, at least for now,” Aguete added. “This is the metric streamers care about most as they look to grow mobile usage and compete with social video platforms where daily engagement is approaching 80 minutes.”

With companies like YouTube engaging audiences on mobiles and now also on the TV set, streamers like Netflix or Disney need vertical and short content to drive engagement on mobile phones.

Global Momentum and Market Expansion

The microdrama trend is accelerating in international markets:

Traditional media players are also adapting to this shift. Platforms like TelevisaUnivision’s ViX in Mexico and GloboPlay in Brazil are embedding short-form serial content within AVOD and freemium ecosystems, leveraging microdramas to boost engagement and reach.

Strategic implications for global streamers

Omdia’s analysis suggests that global streamers including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ face increasing pressure to close the mobile engagement gap with social platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, where users spend nearly 80 minutes per day.

“Vertical video strategies, including microdramas, are becoming a logical next step for streamers that want to increase mobile usage without cannibalizing their long-form premium content,” Aguete concluded. “Microdramas are not replacing TV or streaming, but they are reshaping how audiences consume storytelling on mobile.”

Bundling Opportunities for Telcos

Microdramas are also an opportunity for telcos, by offering them a unique structural opportunity beyond just a content trend. These mobile-first, snackable videos are highly addictive, low-cost, and optimized for daily engagement—perfect for mobile consumption.

As telcos face challenges like ARPU pressure, commoditized connectivity, churn, and heavy 5G investments, microdramas could serve as:

Microdramas are reshaping mobile video consumption, creating new opportunities for telcos, streamers, and content creators alike.

ABOUT OMDIA

Omdia, part of TechTarget, Inc. d/b/a Informa TechTarget (Nasdaq: TTGT), is a technology research and advisory group. Our deep knowledge of tech markets grounded in real conversations with industry leaders and hundreds of thousands of data points, make our market intelligence our clients’ strategic advantage. From R&D to ROI, we identify the greatest opportunities and move the industry forward.

In the US: Microdrama Apps Have Higher Daily Usage than Amazon, Netflix or Disney on Mobile Devices (Q4 2025)