Italy’s Milano-Cortina 2026 Unfolds a Multi-City Opening, Verona Finale

Italy hosts the 2026 Winter Olympics with a spread-out opening ceremony across Milan, Cortina, Livigno, and Predazzo—including two flame cauldrons in Milan and Cortina—and a closing ceremony on Feb. 22 at the Verona Arena, the first finale held at a different venue. The Olympic flame arrives in Milan Feb. 5 and is carried by more than 10,000 torchbearers on a 63‑day relay through 110 Italian provinces. The opening event centers on a harmony theme, while the closing program, “Beauty in Motion,” highlights Italian talent and the Verona venue with a high-tech stage, as the Games hand over to the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps.