In brief
The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games kicked off with an impressive opening ceremony that showcased Italy's artistic and cultural grandeur. Split across four locations—including the iconic San Siro stadium—the ceremony featured renowned performances from artists like Andrea Bocelli and Mariah Carey. The event successfully united various regions and celebrated diverse cultures, with special tributes to figures such as fashion designer Giorgio Armani.
The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games Begin with a Vibrant Opening Ceremony
The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games are officially underway after a vibrant opening ceremony split across four locations.
Milan's iconic San Siro stadium was the primary venue, with elements of the ceremony also taking place in Cortina, Livigno, and Predazzo. Despite concerns over the logistics of a multi-location ceremony, it was an impressive production that went off without a hitch.
Two Olympic cauldrons were lit—one in Milan and the other in Cortina—with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli performing a rousing rendition of Nessun Dorma as the torch entered the San Siro. That followed a jubilant ending to the athlete's parade, with the Italy team the last to be brought out to huge cheers in all four locations.
Figure skater Lilah Fear was the Great Britain flagbearer in Milan, with bobsledder Brad Hall given that honour in Cortina. Italy aside, the warmest welcome was reserved for the Ukrainian athletes, while Team USA were also loudly cheered.
However, there were boos when US vice-president JD Vance was shown on the big screen, and negative crowd reactions occurred for the Israel and Georgia teams as well.
Before the parade, creative director Marco Balich's show was based around the principle of 'armonia'—meaning union, connection, agreement—with a narrative aimed at uniting territories, people, and values within a shared vision. It featured sections labelled 'Italian beauty' and 'fantasia', including a tribute to fashion designer Giorgio Armani, who died aged 91 in 2025.
American singer Mariah Carey—one of the world's best-selling female artists—was decked out in a sparkling white outfit as she performed a version of Volare. We stand ready to make Olympic history again, inspired by the values that unite all of us: excellence, friendship, and respect, said Giovanni Malago, president of the organizing committee for Milan-Cortina 2026.
International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry, marking the first time the Olympics have been officially opened by a woman, declared the Games open. She reminded the athletes of their role in inspiring bravery and kindness, stating, The spirit of the Olympic Games is about so much more than sport. It is about us—and what makes us human.
While events such as curling, figure skating, and ice hockey have already begun, the first five gold medals of the Games will be won on Saturday.
