MILAN, Italy — The torch for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics arrived in Milan on Thursday evening, setting the stage for today's opening ceremony that will officially launch the Games in northern Italy. Lit in Olympia, Greece, on November 26, 2025, the flame has journeyed through all regions of Italy since December 5, building excitement among athletes and fans alike. Today, it will parade through the streets of Milan before culminating at San Siro Stadium, where the Olympic cauldron will be lit in a spectacle expected to draw millions worldwide.
The ceremony, scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. ET and last about three hours, will feature the Parade of Nations, performances celebrating Italian culture, and the symbolic entry of the flame. In the United States, viewers can watch live on NBC, with streaming available on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com. An enhanced encore presentation airs on NBC at 8 p.m. ET, according to network officials.
Leading Team USA into the stadium will be speedskater Erin Jackson and bobsledder Frank Del Duca, selected by their fellow Olympians as flagbearers. Jackson holds a historic distinction as the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at a Winter Olympics, a milestone from her performance in Beijing four years ago. Del Duca, a sergeant in the U.S. Army with deep Italian heritage, marks a rare honor for bobsledders; he is the first in 70 years to carry the flag at an opening ceremony, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee said.
"They might be the perfect pair to lead Team USA," the committee noted in a statement, highlighting Jackson's trailblazing achievement and Del Duca's personal connection to the host nation. Jackson will be the eighth U.S. speedskater to carry the flag, adding to the legacy of the sport in American Olympic history.
The Games themselves, officially the XXV Winter Olympics, run from February 6 to February 22, though athletic events kicked off earlier with training sessions and preliminary rounds starting February 4 in disciplines like curling, ice hockey, and snowboarding. The first medals will be awarded on Saturday, February 7, across various events. Organizers have planned 116 competitions in eight sports and 16 disciplines, including alpine skiing, figure skating, and ice hockey. A notable addition is the debut of ski mountaineering, or skimo, which combines uphill skiing, climbing, and downhill racing.
Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo are co-hosting the event, marking the first time two cities have shared Winter Games duties. Milan will handle most ice-based competitions, while snow events cluster around Cortina and the Valtellina and Fiemme valleys, roughly 250 miles and a five-hour drive apart. This setup echoes Italy's Olympic past: the country hosted the Winter Games in Cortina in 1956 and in Turin in 2006, as well as the Summer Olympics in Rome in 1960. The very first Winter Olympics took place in 1924 in Chamonix, France, setting a precedent for the global winter sports festival.
Adding a touch of whimsy to the proceedings are the mascots Tina and Milo, a pair of stoats designed by students from the Istituto Comprensivo of Taverna. The stoat, a small mammal not widely known outside wildlife circles, represents the "Italian spirit that inspires them," according to Olympic organizers. Tina serves as the Olympic mascot, while her brother Milo embodies the Paralympics. They are accompanied by six snowdrop flowers dubbed "The Flo," symbolizing unity and the Games' alpine theme.
Amid the festivities, American skiing icon Lindsey Vonn made headlines by hitting the slopes for the first official training run of the women's downhill event on Friday. Just a week earlier, Vonn had ruptured her left ACL in a crash during a World Cup race in the Swiss Alps. Despite the injury, she completed the run at the Milano Cortina venue without apparent issues, after Thursday's session was canceled due to poor weather. Her competitive debut in the Olympics is set for Sunday, a testament to her resilience at age 41.
"Vonn participated in an official Olympic training event," reported CBS News, capturing the moment as a pivotal one for the four-time Olympic medalist, who has long been a face of U.S. winter sports. Her return adds emotional depth to Team USA's campaign, especially as she eyes potential medals in multiple downhill and super-G events.
The Paralympic Winter Games will follow immediately after, from March 6 to 15, providing continued spotlight on athletes with disabilities in similar venues. Organizers emphasize accessibility and inclusion, with Milo the mascot playing a central role in promoting the Paralympics' message.
As the torch makes its final approach to San Siro, anticipation builds not just for the ceremony but for the athletic showdowns ahead. With 116 events on the docket, the Milano Cortina Games promise a blend of tradition and innovation, from classic ice hockey rivalries to the fresh challenge of skimo. Italy's hosting role revives memories of past successes, like the 1956 Cortina Games that helped solidify the Winter Olympics' global appeal.
Security and logistics have been ramped up for the large crowds expected in Milan, a bustling fashion capital now transformed into an Olympic hub. Transportation between Milan and the mountain venues has been coordinated with high-speed trains and shuttles to ease the distance challenge. Environmental sustainability is a key focus, with organizers committing to carbon-neutral operations and leveraging existing infrastructure from previous Italian events.
International athletes have praised the dual-host setup for its efficiency. "It's innovative and showcases more of Italy's beauty," said one unnamed European skier in pre-Games interviews. Meanwhile, U.S. officials express confidence in their delegation's preparation, despite minor weather disruptions early on.
Looking beyond the opening, the Games could boost Italy's tourism and economy, much like the 2006 Turin edition did. With global viewership projected in the billions, the event underscores the Olympics' role in uniting nations through sport. As the flame ignites tonight, it signals not just the start of competition, but a celebration of human endurance—from Vonn's comeback to the historic flagbearers leading the way.
For those tuning in, the ceremony promises a mix of pageantry and pathos, honoring the 102-year legacy of the Winter Games while eyeing future expansions like skimo. What's next? A medal rush beginning Saturday, with eyes on powerhouses like the U.S., Norway, and host Italy vying for supremacy on ice and snow.