Greece's Olympic Team looks to skier Alexandros Ioannis Ginnis for its first medal in the Winter Games starting in the Italian Alps

The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are underway after the lighting of the Olympic cauldrons and the Parade of Nations at the opening ceremony.

From Mariah Carey's singing in Italian to the dancers weaving Milan and Cortina together, the 2026 Olympics opening ceremony was one for the record books.

Mariah Carey took center stage to help kick off the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony at 100-year-old San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy.

The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics officially get underway on Friday, February 6, with the Opening Ceremony, which features the flag bearers from every participating country making the march alongside the country’s flag and their countrymates who will be

The Olympic torch is a symbol of peace and unity , passed around the world in the spirit of co-operation, and for each Games, the host country designs a unique torch that often has references to a national landmark or a piece of history. Lighting the cauldron is a symbolic way to start the Games, and it is extinguished during the Closing Ceremony.

What happened during the 2026 Olympics opening ceremony live from Milan? Read on for all the memorable moments, including the Parade of Nations and fabulous performances.

An unprecedented four-site, dual-cauldron Winter Olympics opening ceremony replete with references to Italian icons and culture has officially kicked off the Milan Cortina Games, as the sports spectacle returns to a nation that last hosted the event 20 years ago.

The end of the 2026 Olympic torch relay culminated with the lighting of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics cauldrons at the opening ceremony on Feb. 6.