The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games were officially inaugurated this Friday in a ceremony of great artistic and symbolic display that took place at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, known worldwide as San Siro, in the city of Milan. The ceremony was presided over by the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, who officially opened the event before thousands of spectators and a global audience. “I hereby declare the 25th Winter Olympic Games officially open,” Mattarella declared from the center of the stadium, marking the formal start of a historic event for Olympism and for Italian sport. Following his remarks, music took center stage. Tenor Andrea Bocelli performed “Nessun dorma” from the opera Turandot, in one of the most moving moments of the evening. As the music played, Giuseppe Bergomi and Franco Baresi, legends of Inter and Milan respectively, entered the field to hand the Olympic torch to the Olympic volleyball champions Anna Danesi, Paola Egonu, and Carlotta Cambi. Two cities, two flames, and a historic ceremony. The torch left San Siro to make way for a sequence that highlighted the spirit of peace and unity. South African-American actress Charlize Theron delivered a message inspired by Nelson Mandela before the lighting of the cauldrons, one of the most unique moments of this edition. For the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, two separate cauldrons were lit, each guarding a different flame. In Milan, at the Arch of Peace, the honor fell to skiers Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni, both three-time Olympic champions. In Cortina d'Ampezzo, the responsibility fell to Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic champion, who lit the cauldron in Piazza Dibona. This edition is also distinguished by being the largest in geographical terms, with an area covering 22,000 square kilometers, equivalent to almost 8,500 square miles. The competitions will be spread across various venues, reinforcing the concept of Games shared by several cities.

San Siro, an icon of world football, was the main venue for the ceremony, representing its last major event before being demolished to make way for the construction of a new stadium. The symbolism of the location did not go unnoticed and added an extra emotional charge to the opening ceremony.

The show lasted for more than three and a half hours and included performances by artists such as Laura Pausini, Mariah Carey, and Bocelli himself, as well as a tribute to the late designer Giorgio Armani. The parade of the 92 participating delegations also had an unprecedented format, divided among the different host cities where the events will be held.

With this ceremony, Milan-Cortina 2026 took the first step in a series of Games already marked by their innovative character and a staging that combined tradition, sport, and Italian culture.