Milan Cortina 2026: Winter Olympics Kick Off with Star-Studded Opening Ceremony

Date: February 8, 2026

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games officially began on February 6th with a grand, multi-location opening ceremony split between Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. The event marked the start of the XXV Olympic Winter Games with spectacular pageantry, performances by international stars, and historic moments.

The ceremony featured acclaimed artists including five-time Grammy Award-winner Mariah Carey, Golden Globe winner Laura Pausini, and famed Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, whose emotional performance reportedly sent "chills throughout the entire stadium" (Olympics.com). The event also included appearances by award-winning actor Pierfrancesco Favino and Emmy-nominated star Sabrina Impacciatore (Olympics.com).

Italian President Sergio Mattarella officially declared the Games open, a moment followed by the lighting of the Olympic cauldrons. The flame concluded its 63-day journey across Italy, symbolizing the start of the competitions (CBS News). Notably, this year's parade of athletes was spread over multiple locations for the first time in history (The Athletic).

The Games introduce new elements to the Winter Olympics, including the debut of ski mountaineering as an official event (Wikipedia). They also mark the first Olympic Games under the IOC presidency of Kirsty Coventry (Olympics.com).

Milan Cortina 2026: Winter Olympics Kick Off with Star-Studded Opening Ceremony

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