2026 Winter Olympics open with ceremony at Milan's San Siro

The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics officially open today with a star-studded ceremony at San Siro Stadium, featuring Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli.yahoo+1
Nearly 2,900 athletes from 93 nations will compete for 116 gold medals through Feb. 22, with ski mountaineering making its Olympic debut.usatoday+1
The United States fields its largest Winter Olympic delegation with 223 athletes, including veterans Mikaela Shiffrin and Chloe Kim.usatoday

The 2026 Winter Olympics officially commence today as Milan's iconic San Siro Stadium hosts the Opening Ceremony, kicking off 16 days of competition across northern Italy. Nearly 2,900 athletes from 93 nations will compete for 116 gold medals through February 22, with the Games taking place under the theme of "Armonia" — Italian for harmony.olympics+2

Star-Studded Ceremony Marks Historic Firsts

The three-hour ceremony, scheduled for 8 p.m. local time (2 p.m. ET), will feature a musical lineup headlined by five-time Grammy winner Mariah Carey, marking her return to the Olympic stage after supporting Team USA with her 2010 single "100%." Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli returns to an Olympic ceremony 20 years after performing at Turin 2006, joined by Grammy-winning singer Laura Pausini and acclaimed pianist Lang Lang.yahoo+3

President Sergio Mattarella will formally open the Games — the first Winter Olympics under IOC President Kirsty Coventry, the organization's first female leader. Actress Sabrina Impacciatore of HBO's Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. "The White Lotus" and Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino will also participate in the festivities, which will be broadcast live across NBC Comcast Corporation platforms and streamed on Peacock.wikipedia+3

New Events and Team USA's Quest for Gold

The Milano Cortina Games introduce eight new events, including ski mountaineering's Olympic debut with men's and women's sprints and a mixed relay. Other additions include women's large hill ski jumping, skeleton mixed team relay, and dual moguls in freestyle skiing.espn+2

The United States fields its largest Winter Olympic delegation with 223 athletes. US Ski & Snowboard nominated 97 competitors, including 48 Olympic debutants alongside veterans like Mikaela Shiffrin and two-time snowboard halfpipe champion Chloe Kim. Lindsey Vonn, attempting her fifth Olympics at age 41, has vowed to compete despite rupturing her ACL during a World Cup event in Crans-Montana last week.theguardian+2

In ice hockey, Team USA's men's roster features NHL stars Auston Matthews and Connor Hellebuyck alongside brothers Quinn and Jack Hughes, and Brady and Matthew Tkachuk. The team opens competition against Latvia on February 12.olympics+1

Coverage and Competition Schedule

Peacock will stream all 116 medal events live, with NBC's popular "Gold Zone" program returning after becoming a breakout success at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. Competition began earlier this week with curling and ice hockey preliminary events, with the first medals to be awarded on Sunday in women's alpine skiing, biathlon, and cross-country skiing.corporate.comcast+2

The closing ceremony is scheduled for February 22 at Verona's ancient Roman Arena, featuring ballet star Roberto Bolle.italien+1

Sources (57)