The 2026 Winter Olympics officially begin tonight with the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina Games, marking the start of more than two weeks of global winter sports competition across Northern Italy.
The ceremony will take place at Milan’s historic San Siro Stadium and is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Viewers in the United States can watch the live broadcast on NBC, while the event will also be streamed online through Peacock.
Organizers have planned a large-scale celebration featuring musical performances, the traditional parade of nations, and a symbolic presentation of the Games’ theme centered on unity, innovation, and sustainability. International performers including Mariah Carey and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli are expected to headline the entertainment segment of the ceremony.
For the first time in Olympic history, two Olympic cauldrons will be lit simultaneously, one in Milan and another in Cortina d’Ampezzo, where several alpine events will be held. Officials said the cauldrons were designed to reflect artistic motifs inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, symbolizing the cultural heritage of the host region.
The Milano Cortina Games will feature approximately 2,900 athletes from more than 90 countries competing across ice and snow events spread throughout multiple venue clusters including Milan, Cortina, Bormio, Livigno, and Predazzo. The competitions will continue over the next 16 days, culminating in the closing ceremony later this month.
The geographically distributed venue system is considered one of the most expansive Olympic layouts in Winter Games history, allowing organizers to use existing world-class mountain facilities while hosting indoor competitions in major urban arenas.
