A festive countdown to Milano Cortina 2026: how TCL’s support is putting Milan’s Christmas tree at the centre of a month-long celebration of Olympic dreams.
Thousands of spectators gathered in Milan’s Piazza del Duomo for the city’s annual tree-lighting ceremony, yet the 2025 edition marked the start of something bigger.
A highlight of the festive calendar, this year’s event unveiled a 29-metre tree and an open-to-all winter wonderland created by Worldwide Olympic Partner TCL as part of its Wishes for Greatness campaign with the City of Milan.
As the tree twinkled to life, the city marked its countdown to the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, which are to begin in February.
“It was a big moment for us,” said Stefan Streit, Chief Marketing Officer of TCL Europe, recalling the launch night. “This is a landmark event in Milan. It’s important for us to connect with the local community in this festive moment alongside the latest milestone in our Olympic campaign.”
The “Wishes for Greatness” winter wonderland arrives in Milan
The winter wonderland will remain open until 6 January, centred on the newly lit tree and unified by the idea that every heartfelt wish can inspire something bigger. TCL calls it Wishes for Greatness, a concept woven through five igloo installations to reflect the five Olympic rings, each representing a different continent, and symbolising the world joining together.
Within the igloos, TCL displays, sound systems and innovative home appliances turn Olympic dreams into sensory encounters. In the European ‘Harmony Theatre’, visitors step into a stylised opera-house setting where TCL’s X11K QD-Mini LED TV and Z100 Wireless Free Sound Speaker create the illusion of a front-row seat to a figure skating performance. Guests can also try TCL’s RayNeo AR glasses, which overlay skating performances in their natural field of view — a display equivalent to a 201-inch screen.
For Streit, sport is the perfect way to relay TCL’s message. “We believe that sport is a great platform to talk about inspiring greatness,” he said. “Athletes often have a moment of inspiration – an event or experience – something that made them train hard enough to become world-class.”
The other igloos draw on different cultural references, with the Asia igloo introducing wishes inspired by traditional fortune cookies, encouraging visitors to interpret the experience in a way that reflects their own hopes for the future. “We want to encourage everyone to dream big and empower their own future,” Streit explained.
Team TCL: the face of TCL’s Olympic journey
To deepen that sense of connection, TCL has established Team TCL, comprised of athletes, everyday people, and TCL products that dare to go beyond limits and embrace TCL’s spirit of "Inspire Greatness.” This includes 14 exceptional winter athletes whose stories reflect the values shared by TCL and the Olympics. The line-up includes TCL Global Brand Ambassador and freestyle skier Eileen Gu, as well as athletes selected for their relevance to local audiences.
“It’s a way to bring the Olympic spirit closer to each country,” Streit explained. “In the Netherlands, for example, ice skating is huge, so we have partnered with Dutch speed skater Joy Beune. In Italy, we have alpine skier Alex Vinatzer, and in the Nordics we have cross-country skiers, including Sweden’s Frida Karlsson.”
The team will feature across social media, advertising and in-person moments throughout the countdown to Milano Cortina 2026, amplifying the “Wishes for Greatness” message.
Connecting the world through sport
Beyond the Piazza Del Duomo, TCL’s technology will transform how people watch the Games. This even extends to the technical infrastructure of the Games. The brand will provide TVs, monitors and technical assistance for the Olympic Broadcasting Services at the Milan hub, helping bring all the energy and action of the Games to audiences worldwide.
Meanwhile, inside the athletes’ village, TCL TVs, refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners will create what Streit calls ‘chill-out corners’ — spaces where athletes can relax together between competitions. The company’s technology will also power ‘Athlete Moments’, connecting athletes to friends and family immediately after competing via instant video feeds. “That’s a TCL moment,” he said. “It’s a direct integration of how our products support the spirit of the Games.”
This is in line with TCL’s broader ambitions. “We wanted visitors to feel excitement and see how technology is enabling people to feel the energy of the Olympics better than ever before.”
For viewers watching at home, TCL aims to elevate the experience through its latest Mini-LED televisions. “We want to make every moment special,” he said. “If people watch the Games on our screens, they’ll have a beautiful experience — higher contrasts, more colours, and sound systems that feel like home cinema.”
A tree rooted in sustainability
Despite its scale, the festive installation is imbued with sustainability and circular-economy principles. The tree was felled in the Dolomites for road-safety reasons before being transported to Milan. Its steel support structure is rented and reusable; its base has been used for seven years; and its snowflake crown is making its third public appearance. Once the festivities end, the tree will be repurposed into wooden boards and donated for community initiatives in Monza province.
“Sustainability is a very important topic for us,” Streit said. “We have a number of initiatives, including TCLGreen, to make our products and operations more efficient and reduce our environmental impact. It’s very important that whatever we do has a sustainability factor.”
Wei Xue, Vice President and ESG Director at TCL, summarised the underlying meaning: “This brilliantly illuminated tree symbolises the collective wishes of people from every corner of the world. Just as our technology helps to improve people’s lives, we hope this celebration connects hearts and builds anticipation for the Olympic Winter Games.”
Milan’s unofficial countdown to the Games
From the city’s perspective, the partnership extends a tradition while opening a door to something new. Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala described the tree as “a beloved symbol for the people of Milan”, thanking TCL for a contribution that “strengthens the bond between our city and the upcoming Games”.
For TCL, this month in Duomo Square marks a major step in its Olympic story. As the Games draw nearer, the brand will roll out further installations, including the TCL Creative Exhibit for the Olympic Winter Games in Milan Central Station, as well as a series of in-store events across Italy, accompanied by a range of advertising campaigns to drive momentum between the festive village and February’s events.
Streit sees the weeks ahead as a chance to form a clearer connection with visitors who may not yet know the brand well. “It’s very important that people understand TCL’s vision and values,” he said. “We want them to enjoy our products, understand who we are and, of course, be interested in what TCL technology can bring to their homes.”
Looking ahead to Milano Cortina 2026, he offered a final hope: “My wish for greatness is that these Olympic Games help us make a great step forward in building our connection with local consumers.”
Powered by TCL’s innovations, that wish has already begun to take shape under the tree in Piazza del Duomo—one illuminated branch, one winter evening, and one shared hope at a time.
TCL is the official Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner in the Home Audiovisual Equipment and Home Appliances category.
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