Historically, this ceremony was held simultaneously in four cities: Milan, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Predazzo, and Livigno. This innovation allowed athletes to attend the event in the locations where they will compete.
The ceremony was organized by Balich Wonder Studio, and its head, Marco Balich, has previously produced 14 Olympic events.
At the "San Siro" stadium, a performance dedicated to Italy's cultural heritage was filled with bright moments. The Olympic flame was lit in two cauldrons: the main torchbearers in Milan were skiers Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni, while in Cortina d'Ampezzo, the honor went to skier Sofia Goggia.
In the final part of the ceremony, welcoming speeches were made by the chairman of the Games-2026 organizing committee, Giovanni Malagò, and the head of the IOC, Kirsty Coventry, for whom this event was the first as the leader of the International Olympic Committee. The President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, officially declared the Games open.
The XXV Winter Olympic Games will take place from February 6 to 22, 2026, and the Paralympic Games from March 6 to 15. A total of 2,871 athletes from 93 countries will compete for 116 sets of medals in 16 disciplines.
