MILAN, Italy — The 2026 Winter Olympic Games officially commenced on Friday, February 6, with a spectacular opening ceremony at the iconic San Siro stadium, celebrating Italy’s culture, fashion, and history.
The event marked the beginning of the most geographically widespread Winter Olympics in history, with venues spanning 400 kilometers (250 miles) across northern Italy and the snow-capped Alps.
A Tale of Two Cauldrons In a unique tribute to the Games’ multi-city format, two Olympic cauldrons were lit simultaneously:
- In Milan: Italian skiing legends Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni lit a cauldron at the Arch of Peace, inspired by the intricate knot patterns of Leonardo da Vinci.
- In Cortina d’Ampezzo: The honor went to Olympic gold medalist Sofia Goggia, who lit the mountain-top cauldron following her training run for the women’s downhill.
Dazzling Performances and Political Tensions The San Siro ceremony featured performances that paid homage to Italy’s “Three Great Masters” of opera—Verdi, Puccini, and Rossini—with outsized heads of the composers appearing on stage.
- Mariah Carey: The American pop diva performed “Volare” in Italian and her hit “Nothing is Impossible” while wearing a sequined white dress with feathers.
- Andrea Bocelli: The world-renowned tenor delivered a rapturous rendition of “Nessun Dorma.”
- Giorgio Armani Tribute: In a nod to Italian fashion, dozens of models paraded across the stage in red, green, and white trouser suits.
- Boos for JD Vance: Despite the festive atmosphere, loud boos erupted from the crowd when US Vice President JD Vance appeared on the big screen. The reaction follows local anger over the presence of US immigration (ICE) agents as part of the American delegation’s security.
Lindsey Vonn’s “Extraordinary” Return The opening day was also defined by a major athletic milestone as American skiing superstar Lindsey Vonn passed a critical test of her injured knee.
- Training Success: Vonn, 41, successfully completed her first training run for the women’s downhill in Cortina d’Ampezzo. She is competing with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and a knee brace.
- Remarkable Comeback: After coming out of retirement and battling a pre-Olympics injury, Vonn is now a serious contender for Sunday’s final. “No one would have believed I would be here… but I made it!!” she posted on social media.
Competition Kick-off The Games were declared open by Italian President Sergio Mattarella. Early competitive action saw the United States take the lead in the figure skating team event, led by ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates.
Prestige events, including the men’s downhill and Eileen Gu’s bid for triple gold in women’s slopestyle, are set to begin on Saturday.