Some events at the Milan Cortina Olympic Games have already begun, but the “start” of the Olympic Games is always associated with the opening ceremony. The event kicks off each Olympic Games, with the host country usually putting on a massive show that celebrates the Games’ history and highlights athletes from each country.
While an impressive performance is expected on Friday, the Milan Cortina Games will do something a little different at the opening ceremony. The event will be held in multiple locations for the first time in Olympic history. The main ceremony will take place at the San Siro Olimpico Stadium in Milan. Meanwhile, Cortina d’Ampezzo, one of the host cities of the tournament, will also hold its own ceremony.
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As the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics approaches, here’s everything you need to know about the festivities at the Games in Cortina, Milan.
When will the opening ceremony be held?
The opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina will take place on Friday, February 6 at approximately 2:00 pm ET. The opening ceremony will begin at 8pm in Italy. The entire event is expected to last approximately three hours.
Olympic Games opening ceremony schedule
Organizers are keeping the exact timetable for the opening ceremony secret in order to surprise viewers. The Olympic opening ceremony typically features a parade of athletes and flag bearers – Team USA’s Erin Jackson and Frank Del Duca – and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron. There will be many other surprises during the ceremony, but there is no set schedule of events after the opening ceremony.
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What time is the Olympic cauldron lit?
The exact time the Olympic cauldrons will be lit has not been set, but they – yes, there are two of them, one in Milan and the other in Cortina – will likely be lit at the end of the opening ceremony. Since the opening ceremony is expected to last about three hours, the cauldron will likely be lit during the last 30 to 45 minutes of the event.
On February 1, 2026, an installation believed to be the Olympic cauldron stood at the Arch of Peace in Milan, Italy. The opening ceremony of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Games will be held on February 6, 2026. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
(Maja Hitij via Getty Images)
Why will there be two Olympic cauldrons at the 2026 Olympics?
History will be made at the 2026 Olympic Games in Cortina, Milan. During Friday’s opening ceremony, the Olympic cauldron will be used to light two separate cauldrons, a first in the event’s history.
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The lighting will take place simultaneously in two different locations. One of them is located at the Arco della Pace in Milan. The second one is located in Piazza di Bona in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Olympic organizers decided to use two cauldrons to demonstrate harmony and unity among the host cities for the 2026 Games.
The cauldrons are intended to evoke the work of Leonardo da Vinci, particularly the knots that appear in his paintings and manuscripts.
Who will perform at the opening ceremony?
Mariah Carey was one of the performers at the awards show. Carey is a six-time Grammy Award winner and a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In addition to Carey, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli will also perform at the opening ceremony. Chinese pianist Lang Lang and Italian actress Sabrina Impacciatore will also perform at the event.
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How to watch the Milan Cortina opening ceremony
The Milan Cortina Opening Ceremony will be broadcast live on NBC and Peacock. The event will be broadcast live on Peacock at approximately 2 p.m. ET. The show will then air in primetime on NBC at 8pm ET.
