The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics officially begin with Friday’s Opening Ceremony. Festivities are set to begin from Milan’s San Siro Olympic Stadium (home of AC Milan) at 2 p.m. ET.
There will be two Olympic cauldrons for the first time at the 2026 Games, one located at the Arco della Pace in Milan, and the other at Piazza Dibona in Cortina d’Ampezzo. The two cauldrons are intended to represent “harmony between the two Host Cities and the territories of the distributed Games,” according to the official Olympics website.
Advertisement
Speed skater Erin Jackson and bobsledder Frank Del Duca will be the flagbearers for the United States. Altogether, the nations participating in the Games will appear in alphabetical order (in Italian), though Greece will go first as the original site of the Olympics, and host country Italy will finish the parade.
Mariah Carey will headline the performers for the Opening Ceremony, which also includes Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, singer-songwriter Laura Pausini, rapper Ghali, pianist Lang Lang and opera singer Cecilia Bartoli, in addition to actors Pierfrancesco Favino and Sabrina Impacciatore (whom American fans might recognize from TV series “The White Lotus” and “The Paper”).
Along with festivities in Milan, ceremonies and parades featuring athletes will occur simultaneously in Predazzo, Livigno and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Start time: 2 p.m. ET
Location: San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy
TV channel/live stream: NBC, Peacock
Advertisement
Note: The Opening Ceremony will air again in primetime at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the latest updates, highlights and more from the Opening Ceremony at the Milan Cortina Olympics:
Live23 updatesFri, February 6, 2026 at 11:45 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
VAL DI FIEMME, ITALY – FEBRUARY 06: Flagbearer Nefeli Tita of Team Greece enters the stadium during the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium on February 06, 2026 in Val di Fiemme, Italy. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
(Maddie Meyer via Getty Images)Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:40 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:39 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Aerialists perform during the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, northern Italy, on February 6, 2026. (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP via Getty Images)
(GABRIEL BOUYS via Getty Images)Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:37 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Dancers perform during the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the San Siro stadium in Milan, northern Italy, on February 6, 2026. (Photo by PIERO CRUCIATTI / AFP via Getty Images)
(PIERO CRUCIATTI via Getty Images)Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:35 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:35 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 06: Pierfrancesco Favino performs verses of “L’Infinito” during the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at San Siro Stadium on February 06, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
(Sarah Stier via Getty Images)Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:34 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Because these Olympics are taking place in different locations, the Opening Ceremony will feature scenes from Cortina.
Performers take part in the Italian national anthem as people hold smartphones during the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, at Piazza Angelo Dibona in Cortina d’Ampezzo, northern Italy, on February 6, 2026. (Photo by Stefano RELLANDINI / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
(STEFANO RELLANDINI via Getty Images)Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:32 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Alongside the IOC president and the president of Italy, U.S. vice president J.D. Vance leads the country’s delegation.
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 06: Kirsty Coventry (2nd R) , President of the IOC waves during the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at San Siro Stadium on February 06, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
(Sarah Stier via Getty Images)Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:30 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 06: Laura Pausini performs the national anthem during the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at San Siro Stadium on February 06, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
(Matthias Hangst via Getty Images)Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:26 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The flag of Italy enters the stadium, in the form of women dressed in red, green and white suits, in a nod to the country’s fashion history.
Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:24 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 06: Matilda De Angelis performs during the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at San Siro Stadium on February 06, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
(Gregory Shamus via Getty Images)Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:23 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Similar to the 2024 Paris Opening Ceremony, this opener won’t be contained to one place, as these Olympics are occurring across a wide swath of northern Italy.
Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:21 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
06 February 2026, Italy, Mailand: Olympia, Olympic Winter Games Milan Cortina 2026, opening ceremony in Milan, San Siro, dancers perform during the opening ceremony under the motto “Armonia”. Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa (Photo by Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images)
(picture alliance via Getty Images)Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:18 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Mariah Carey takes the stage to sing the Italian classic, “Volare.”
US singer Mariah Carey performs during the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the San Siro stadium in Milan, northern Italy, on February 6, 2026. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP via Getty Images)
(WANG ZHAO via Getty Images)Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:16 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Legendary Italian composers Verdi, Puccini and Rossini are featured alongside the colorful tableau of the opening ceremony’s second act.
Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:13 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Taylor Swift shares a message with the “inspiring” athletes of Team USA. “I just hope that you have a wonderful Olympic games.”
Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:08 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Giant sculptures and dancers dressed in toga-like outfits open the show at San Siro Stadium, striking a final pose reminiscent of a painting.
Fri, February 6, 2026 at 11:02 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
We open with shots of Milan and the Italian mountains, including some pasta (Milanese risotto, to be more specific), apres ski and more.
Fri, February 6, 2026 at 10:53 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Fri, February 6, 2026 at 10:45 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
It’s almost time! The Opening Ceremony of the Milan Cortina Olympics begins at 2 p.m. ET, airing live on NBC and streaming on Peacock.