Winter Olympics opens in style with flags and fireworks in Milan's home of football

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Winter Olympics opens in style with flags and fireworks in Milan's home of football

Published: 07 Feb. 2026, 12:37 Updated: 08 Feb. 2026, 18:12

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Team Korea enters the San Siro stadium in Milan at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics held Feb. 6, with figure skater Cha Jun-hwan and speed skater Park Ji-woo bearing the Korean national flag. [KIM JONG-HO]

The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics officially kicked off Friday with a spectacular opening ceremony at the iconic San Siro Stadium in Milan, home to century-old football clubs AC Milan and Inter Milan.

Italy, a nation known for its rich culture and artistic legacy, delivered a refined and visually striking show that ran for over three hours. The ceremony emphasized unity through art, sending a message that even a divided world can ultimately come together.

San Siro, known as the "cathedral of football," was transformed into a living museum. Dancers representing Cupid and Psyche moved among classical sculptures in a dramatic reinterpretation of mythology.

Mariah Carey performs at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics held at the San Siro stadium in Milan on Feb. 6. [KIM JONG-HO]

Five-time Grammy winner Mariah Carey drew a thunderous ovation from the crowd of more than 60,000 as she sang Domenico Modugno's "Volare" (1958) in Italian, followed by her own song "Nothing Is Impossible," a tribute to the spirit of Olympic athletes.

True to Milan's status as a global fashion capital, the stage became a giant runway adorned with circular designs. Models paid homage to legendary designer Giorgio Armani, who died last year, by wearing green, red and white suits symbolizing the Italian flag. A black-and-white photo of Armani appeared as part of the tribute.

Singer Laura Pausini performed Italy's national anthem, with the stadium lit up by twinkling LED lights held by spectators.

Fireworks burst from around the Olympic rings at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics held at the San Siro stadium in Milan on Feb. 6. [KIM JONG-HO]

Athletes from 92 countries made their entrances, starting with Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Olympics. Teams marched through Olympic rings onto the runway-like stage.

Team Korea entered 22nd, under the letter "C" for Corea in the Italian alphabet. Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan and speed skater Park Ji-woo served as flag bearers, smiling as they carried a Korean flag under the night sky.

For the first time, the opening ceremony was held simultaneously across four locations. In Cortina's central square, Team Korea members carried women's skeleton athlete Hong Su-jung on their shoulders. In Livigno's snow park, snowboarders and skiers bounced in, while cross-country athletes entered Predazzo Ski Jump Stadium carrying the national flag through snow-covered terrain. These scenes were broadcast in sequence to represent connection.

Ukraine's athletes received overwhelming support from the audience, a show of solidarity as the country continues to face war. In contrast, the Israeli delegation was met with some jeers, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance, present for Team USA's entrance, also drew boos when shown on the stadium screen. The Italian team, dressed in Armani-designed outfits, received the night’s loudest cheers, as if a goal had been scored in the stadium.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance applauds as Team USA makes its appearance at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics held on Feb. 6. [KIM JONG-HO]

The ceremony centered around the theme "Armonia," meaning harmony in Italian. Five circular structures combined midair to form the Olympic rings, illuminated in gold, symbolizing the connection between Milan, Cortina and the wider world. The message called for peace amid ongoing global conflicts, including in Ukraine, Gaza and Iran.

Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe, the first female president of the International Olympic Committee, cited the African philosophy of "Ubuntu," meaning "I am because you are."

Following the official opening declaration by Italian President Sergio Mattarella, world-renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli delivered a powerful rendition of "Nessun Dorma," moving the crowd of 61,000.

For the first time, the Olympic flame was lit in two places. Three-time Olympic gold medalist Deborah Compagnoni and Alpine skiing legend Alberto Tomba ignited the flame at Milan's Arch of Peace, while Sofia Goggia lit the cauldron at Dibona Square in Cortina d'Ampezzo.

The Italian hosts reportedly spent 700 hours rehearsing the show, emphasizing the harmony that emerges when all elements come together. All opening ceremony tickets were sold out.

A total of 2,900 athletes from 92 nations are competing across 16 disciplines for 116 gold medals. Korea has sent 71 athletes and aims to win at least three gold medals and finish in the top 10 overall.

The 17-day winter sports spectacle has begun.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK RIN, KIM JONG-HO [[email protected]]