The 2026 winter Olympics are underway, hosted by Italy in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. Every Olympics, viewers tune in to watch the world’s best athletes take to the ice and slopes, competing for gold, silver and bronze medals for their home countries.
Italy has hosted the Olympics Games three separate times prior to 2026. Cortina d’Ampezzo hosted the Winter Games in 1956. Rome hosted the 1960 Summer Olympics — the first Games to be fully televised. Turin later hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics. This year marks Italy’s fourth time hosting the Olympics and its third time hosting the Winter Games.
“The resort town was the site of the Winter Games 70 years ago when skis were longer, TVs were chunkier and the internet was just a twinkle in the world’s collective eye,” said Marisa Marcellino and Macklin Stern with NBC Olympics about the first hosting in 1956.
The Games officially began began with the opening ceremony on Feb. 6. Traditionally, the ceremony allows the host country to showcase its culture and arts. This year’s event took place at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, while elements of the ceremony and Parade of Nations were held simultaneously in other host locations..
The opening performance paid tribute to Italy’s artistic history. Ballet dancers from Accademia del Teatro alla Scala performed amid illuminated set pieces evoking classical statues, referencing Italy’s Roman and Renaissance heritage and the naturalistic and humanistic traditions of European art.
The performance transitioned into a colorful display as oversized paint tubes descended from the stadium rafters, releasing flowing fabric in red, yellow, blue and green. Hundreds of dancers filled the stage in a vibrant celebration of Italian creativity. The segment featured performers dressed as iconic Italian opera composers Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini and Gioachino Rossini, highlighting Italy’s musical legacy.
The ceremony’s central theme was “Armonia,” Italian for harmony. Dancers moved as the Olympic rings were symbolically connected on stage, reinforcing the message of unity.
In a historic first, the opening ceremony and Parade of Nations took place across four locations — Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Predazzo and Livigno — to reflect the geographically dispersed venues of the Milan-Cortina Games. The ceremony also marked the first time two Olympic cauldrons were lit simultaneously. Alpine skiing legends Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni lit the cauldron beneath the Arco della Pace in Milan, while Olympic champion Sofia Goggia lit a second cauldron in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
“The symbolism marks only the beginning of a widespread Games, with some seven separate locations hosting events for Milano Cortina throughout the mountainous Northern Italy region, a model that represents the future of the Winter Olympics,” says The Olympics.
The opening ceremony included musical performances by Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli. Carey performed “Nel blu, dipinto di blu,” widely known as “Volare,” before singing her song “Nothing Is Impossible.” Bocelli performed “Nessun Dorma” from Puccini’s “Turandot” as the Olympic flame made its way through San Siro Stadium before the cauldron lighting.
“No one was to outdo Andrea Bocelli, however, the iconic Italian tenor delivering a chilling, iconic performance of Nessun Dorma from Puccini’s Turandot as the Olympic flame made its way through the San Siro, headed to light the cauldron,” said the International Olympic Committee.
The Parade of Nations began with Greece, following Olympic tradition. Because events are spread throughout northern Italy, athletes marched in Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Predazzo and Livigno, allowing competitors based at different venues to participate.
A total of 92 National Olympic Committees are represented at the Games, with approximately 2,900 athletes competing. Benin, Guinea-Bissau and the United Arab Emirates are among the nations making their Winter Olympic debuts.
Team USA entered with speedskater Erin Jackson and bobsledder Frank Del Duca serving as flag bearers.
Amid the celebration of Italian art and culture, one portion of the ceremony sparked online criticism. A computer-animated sequence reflecting on Olympic history drew backlash on social media, with some viewers describing it as appearing to use artificial intelligence and questioning its place in a ceremony centered on artistic tradition.
The Milan-Cortina Games will continue through Feb. 22, when the closing ceremony will take place. The next Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles in 2028.
Devin Bates (they/he) is a journalism major at IU Indianapolis with an interest in writing and the arts. In their free time they can be found working on their project cars or writing, but he also enjoys crafts like cosplay and listening to music or gaming.
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