Milan, Italy – February 6, 2026 — The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 officially began on Friday night with a glittering Opening Ceremony that blended Italian history, culture, and modern spectacle under the theme of “Harmony.”
Staged inside Milan’s iconic San Siro Stadium, the ceremony marked a historic first for the Winter Olympics, unfolding across two host cities simultaneously. While Milan served as the main stage, Cortina d’Ampezzo hosted parallel moments, symbolically linking Italy’s urban elegance with its alpine heritage through a shared, real-time narrative.
The dual-city celebration highlighted the innovative structure of the Milano Cortina Games, which will see competitions spread across seven different venues throughout Northern Italy’s mountainous regions — a model organizers say represents the future of the Winter Olympics.
Global music stars Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli delivered standout performances during the ceremony, while the traditional Parade of Athletes took place across multiple locations, reinforcing the Games’ message of unity and connection.
One of the evening’s most memorable moments came as the Olympic cauldrons were lit in both host cities by Italian skiing legends. Olympic gold medallists Deborah Compagnoni and Alberto Tomba ignited the cauldron in Milan, while reigning Olympic champion Sofia Goggia performed the honor in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
“Tonight, Italy opens its arms to the world,” said Giovanni Malagò, President of the Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee. “From the elegance and style of Milan to the alpine wonder of Cortina d’Ampezzo.”
Malagò described the upcoming Games as a milestone for the Olympic movement, noting that Milano Cortina 2026 is designed to be environmentally conscious, legacy-focused, and the most gender-balanced Winter Olympics to date, while fully aligned with International Olympic Committee guidelines.
With the Opening Ceremony complete, athletes from around the world now turn their focus to two weeks of competition across snow and ice, as Italy hosts one of the most ambitious and geographically diverse Winter Games in Olympic history.
