Even as Milano Cortina 2026, the Winter Olympics in Italy, has just concluded, one crucial contribution is easily being overlooked: without print, such major sporting events would not be possible. The behind-the-scenes work that everything runs smoothly on the opening day often goes unnoticed, since ultimately, the focus is on the medal winners and not organisational mishaps.
This article provides an insight into the typical steps and timeframes involved in such events from the printing industry’s perspective, covering everything from data structures and material testing to live post-production.
Print has always been an integral part of major international sporting events. For example, for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – football’s marquee event – around 9,05,000 square metres of graphics were produced, comprising approximately 21,700 street banners, 87 kilometres of fencing material, and numerous directional signs. Over 1,300 signage structures were erected and more than 300 tonnes of aluminium were processed for hardware. However, this immense effort often goes unnoticed. Decisions regarding data structures, colour spaces, materials, and security mechanisms are made months or even years in advance, long before the first tarpaulin is hung or the first pictogram is put in place.
Framework Established 3 to 5 Years Before Event
Work on the structural framework starts well before the first layout for a major event is created. Between five and three years before the event, those involved lay the foundations on which everything will later be built. Maps, zoning, initial language versions, and rough visitor flows are created during this phase.
During this time, a small cross-functional group is formed. Together, they clarify terms, standards and dependencies. Which consistent names should be used for locations and routes across all systems? Which pictograms and contrast values are binding? The Olympic Brand Guidelines define the primary brand colours (blue, yellow, black, green, red, and white) and provide exact HEX, CMYK and RGB values for print and digital applications. Which colour targets can realistically be achieved on which materials? How should access media be designed depending on the security level? The processes and requirements for handling personal data must also be clarified. Depending on the venue and organiser, various frameworks and regulations must also be considered.
In modern setups, these specifications are fed directly into the system. Names, data fields, and templates are created to ensure that subsequent changes relating to space utilisation, languages, or visitor numbers are processed consistently and do not ‘evaporate into individual files.
For smaller local or regional events, this governance process is often mapped out in a short sprint, during which clear roles are defined and key decisions are made within a few weeks.
24 to 18 Months Before Event: Materials, Colours & Data Flows Tested
Approximately two years before the event (Winter Olympics), a reality check is important, as cold temperatures, humidity, wind, LED lighting, and snow reflection can affect the visual effect and durability of materials. Representative applications are tested under realistic conditions at this stage to determine the suitability of banner fabric, rigid panels, textile backdrops, and floor and stair media.
The important thing here is not perfect catalogue staging, but the stress test: to what extent can colour data differ visibly on different materials without affecting the overall impression? The International Olympic Committee works with precise colour standards, with different specifications applying to digital applications than to print. However, the Pantone colours themselves do not change.
At the same time, an initial pilot data flow is set up. Templates containing rules relating to font sizes, contrasts, and space for Braille or codes are combined with automated testing processes. Initial camera checks at this stage show whether the templates, data, and quality assurance are reliably interlinked. The aim is to identify any weak points before live operations begin.
In smaller event formats, material testing and data checking are often combined on site, focusing on critical applications such as main entrances or brightly lit areas. Here, organisers also rely heavily on the experience that providers and equipment suppliers have gained at larger events.
12 Months Prior: Planning Capacities, Defining Routes, Securing Data
A year before the event, the operational allocation process begins, which involves deciding what will be produced, in what quantities, and where: which plants have buffer capacities and which locations could take over at short notice, if necessary. For the 2022 FIFA World Cup, for example, over 100 installation locations had to be coordinated.
At the same time, the kitting logic is defined. This determines which package is delivered to which location and when. These could be goals, zones, or assembly areas. Traceability also plays a key role here, as to document what arrived, when, where, and in what condition.
Where access media are involved, personal data is also generated. These data flows are now being streamlined and secured. Access is clearly regulated and logged. This provides an overview of how material, data, and cycles interact once live operations begin.
Provided there are clear agreements in place regarding where flexibility ends and commitment begins, a centralised production location with on-site finishing and daily change windows is often favoured over distributed production in smaller formats.
6 Months in Advance: Shift from Theoretical to Practical Implementation
During this phase it begins to become clear whether the system is viable. The focus shifts from theoretical planning to practical implementation. The previously agreed rules are applied in real conditions to demonstrate their effectiveness.
Templates are finalised. Font sizes, contrasts, Braille and code placeholders, and colour targets for each material are clearly defined and systematically stored. Design changes are limited to functional exceptions and are no longer discussed in principle.
The technology is also calibrated. Printing systems are characterised, colour spaces per substrate are documented, and test strips and target values are defined. At the same time, a process has been determined for comprehensively detecting, evaluating and documenting deviations, for use not only in internal approvals but also in subsequent audits or complaint management.
Security-related media such as accreditations or access cards undergo initial dry runs, including complete number ranges and return scenarios. Packaging and labelling are tested under real cycle conditions. The focus is not only on the materials themselves, but also on whether the process generates clear signals regarding quantities and delivery locations.
Crucially, data runs through the entire production chain in this phase, from its origin in the dataset, through the designed template, to the testing and approval point. The concept only becomes routine if this test run is completed without interruption.
On smaller-scale projects, the number of templates is significantly lower. Rather than ongoing optimisation, a clearly defined change window is typically established to safeguard production time before permanent corrections are implemented.
8 to 4 Weeks Prior: Production Waves and Controlled Delivery
The visible areas are now being created in several stages. First, the basic equipment is produced, including neutral elements, location-independent media, and fixed basic layouts. Next, the overlaying content is specified in more detail as the event approaches.
Although textile and large-format production often run in parallel, their production cycles differ. Media and interview backgrounds consist of stable basic units that can be combined with regional, linguistic, or sponsor-specific additions. This allows flexibility without compromising the basic layout.
Access and status media, such as ID cards or accreditations, are produced in coordinated batches and stored securely. Clearly designated time slots are reserved for last-minute changes. Logistics now use kitting logic, meaning packages must be assembled so that they can be used directly on site. For events of this magnitude, materials are delivered close to their locations of use to enable rapid deployment. There must be no re-sorting and no ambiguity. Clear labelling and traceable contents are used for this purpose, as are designated contact persons.
Quality assurance follows a dual principle: inline during production and at goods issue. This is not just about visual criteria. Are the codes read reliably? Do the contrasts and placements match the templates? Is the documented slip resistance for floor media complete?
The important thing is not a perfect print image on a light table, but functional reliability in real conditions: outdoors, in changing light, on damp surfaces, and amid chaotic setup conditions.
For smaller event formats, the entire production process is often condensed into one main phase. Daily quality checks and clearly defined reprint windows in the evening replace time-consuming distribution, enabling higher cycle times on site and significantly reducing logistical complexity.
10 to 3 Days Before: Set-up, Testing & Final Adjustments
After months of preparation involving data, rules, and packages, the first results are now becoming visible. The first signs, safety graphics, and surface media have been delivered. Although the logistical processes are largely automated, the most important thing on site is the appearance of everything in real conditions. Visual inspection replaces the light table: are the routes legible, and is the contrast correct? Is the Braille in the right place? Do the floor media retain their slip resistance in wet or cold conditions?
Deviations at this stage are not unusual, but are to be expected. A temporary barrier can alter the route. An unforeseen light source can make legibility difficult. A surface may react differently to what is expected. The decisive factor is how such deviations are dealt with and corrected. Installation lists, markings, and simple feedback loops ensure that reprints can be triggered without re-entering data.
For smaller events, setup and final testing often merge into a tightly scheduled evening window, with time slots reserved for reprints overnight.
72 to 12 Hours Prior: Final Adjustments Before Start
As the opening date draws closer, the pace is intensifying. Changes to the route, zone approvals, and personalised access media are being implemented. Rather than creating entire sets from scratch, the focus is on updating individual variants as required. These must be identifiable and traceable, with documented outputs provided.
The system also responds flexibly to supply issues by adjusting quantities and revising labels and inserts, ensuring the correct items are available in the right places on the day of the event. This phase only works with clearly defined time slots. What else is produced overnight? What goes into the early shift? What is resolved directly on site?
Live Days See Print in Non-stop Motion
Print remains in motion throughout the event. Nothing is static; much is updated. Wear and tear, humidity, and fluctuating visitor numbers mean that prompt and precise adjustments are necessary.
Printing thus becomes an iterative process of observation, adjustment, and reproduction. If a sign is missing, it is replaced. If a floor surface comes loose, it is reprinted. The relevant data and references are already available, so no new creation is necessary – only prompt action. Teams remain on standby during the tournament to implement mid-tournament updates.
Specific tasks, such as short-term merchandising campaigns or additional signage, are carried out by on-demand teams in response to specific requests. Sensitive areas such as entrances, transfer zones, and exposed areas are checked during daily visual inspections. Any elements that had to be replaced multiple times were subject to special testing. Even though they were reproduced, they still needed to be reliable, durable, and colour-consistent to ensure they fit seamlessly into the overall look.
In compact setups, local pop-up capacities fulfil the function of central reprinting works. Decisions are made closer to the action, shortening the path between observation, approval, and implementation.
Follow-up: Repatriation and Learning
The second half of the project begins with dismantling. It is now clear how well the conclusion was planned and prepared. Textiles, graphics, and carrier materials are sorted. What can be reused? What can be recycled? What needs to be disposed of and has been labelled as such?
At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, around 90% of the aluminium hardware, totalling over 300 tonnes, was transferred to a reuse programme, while the remainder was recycled. Over 1,300 signage structures were designed for reuse at future events, requiring only the graphics to be replaced. The fence banners were made from 100% recycled materials and printed using water-based inks.
Access and security media are seamlessly returned, counted, and removed from circulation. Packaging, labels, and fibre materials are returned to defined cycles for collection, processing, or reuse.
Beginning of Next Iteration
The evaluations are compiled in the weeks following the event on issues regarding readability, the materials which withstood the strain, on where late changes were made and what caused them.
This review marks the beginning of the next iteration, not the end. Based on these findings, more robust templates, realistic targets, clearer handover procedures, and more coordinated decision-making processes for future formats will be developed, whether on a grand, mega stage or in smaller, fast-paced setups.
