France Locks In 2030 Winter Olympics Schedule and Venues France will host the 2030 Winter Games from Feb 1‑17, with Paralympics slated for Mar 1‑10, marking its first Winter Olympics since Albertville 1992 [3][4]. The master plan designates four Alpine zones—Haute Savoie, Savoie, Briançon and Nice—for competitions and athlete villages, while the locations for speed skating and the opening ceremony remain undecided [3][4]. This allocation mirrors the earlier 2026 Milan‑Cortina Games, which will feature 195 medals across 16 disciplines [3]. The IOC’s 1994 charter amendment continues to separate Winter and Summer Games on a four‑year cycle [4].

Parliament Enacts Olympic Law Granting Temporary Regulatory Exemptions On Feb 5 2026, the French Senate and National Assembly approved the Olympic law with a 390‑99 vote, enabling short‑term deviations from standard urban‑planning, housing, health, employment and safety rules [1]. The bill extends an algorithmic video‑surveillance trial to 2027, authorises private security agents to inspect vehicles, and counts roughly 20 hectares of artificialised land toward the national ZAN quota [1]. An amendment obliges the organising committee to hold at least one public hearing in each “bassin de vie” hosting events [1]. Law supporters argue these flexibilities are essential to meet the tight construction timeline for the 2030 Games [1].

Citizen Group Files Legal Challenges While COJOP Faces Governance Crisis The advocacy collective JOP 2030 lodged three legal procedures in Lyon, Marseille and Geneva, accusing the project of transparency failures; a Marseille tribunal ordered the Solideo to improve communication, which the agency appealed [1]. Recent resignations of the operations director, communications chief and remuneration‑committee chair have intensified concerns over budget overruns and private‑partner commitment [1]. Senators such as Jean‑Michel Arnaud and Belkhir Belhaddad warned that the unclear financing could delay venue delivery [1]. These disputes highlight the fragile political environment surrounding the Games despite legislative approval [1].

Six Nations Match Shifted to Avoid Overlap with 2026 Olympic Opening The France‑Ireland Six Nations fixture, originally set for Friday Jan 6 2026, was moved to Thursday Jan 5 to prevent audience loss to the Milan‑Cortina opening ceremony on Friday [2]. The game will be broadcast on TF1 after France Télévisions sold nine of fifteen matches due to budget constraints [2]. This marks the first midweek Six Nations match since 1948, reflecting organizers’ priority to safeguard viewership rather than expand the tournament’s audience [2]. The adjustment underscores the broader impact of the upcoming Winter Olympics on French sporting schedules [2].