The deal, penned here today during Tokyo 2020, brings together the Summer and Winter editions of the Games and joins up the host cities which will be returning sport's grandest stage to Europe.

Tony Estanguet, the Paris 2024 President, signed the agreement with Milan Cortina 2026 counterpart Giovanni Malago, with the link-up including four action areas.

These are knowledge sharing, resource sharing, collaboration on human resources and joint communication and advocacy. 

Areas which could be covered include joint public engagement, transport, catering, volunteering, technology, sustainability and the environment.

"It is a great pleasure to agree this collaboration with our friends and neighbours of Milano-Cortina 2026," said Estanguet, a triple Olympic champion in canoeing.

"Concluding this agreement in Tokyo is symbolic as it was with Tokyo 2020 that Paris 2024 signed its first agreement in 2018.

"Since then, a new dynamic of closer collaboration between Organising Committees has emerged as we all look to contribute towards a Games model that is more in tune with the issues and expectations of modern society.

"Today, Milano-Cortina 2026 joins Tokyo 2020, but also Lausanne 2020, Birmingham 2022 and Dakar 2026 among those Organising Committees with whom we are working closely together.

"The geographical and cultural proximity between our two countries, the proximity of the Summer and Winter Games, and the successive holding of our two events will together be the key to ensuring our collaboration serves our common belief - that sport changes lives."

The deal is in line with the International Olympic Committee's Agenda 2020+5 blueprint, which encourages greater cooperation between Games stakeholders.

"This signature by Paris 2024 and Milano-Cortina 2026 embodies the friendship and cooperation between two countries historically linked by deep cultural and social roots and united by a boundless passion for sports," said Malago.

"This common agreement will enable us to cooperate on different key areas and develop them together in order to deliver two unforgettable editions of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"Both of our teams are eager to start working together and I am sure that we will reach great and innovative results."