Milan Olympics Opens in 4 Cities With 2 Olympic Flames

The 2026 Winter Olympics just rewrote the playbook for how the world celebrates sport, and the result was more inclusive than ever before.

Instead of forcing mountain athletes to travel hours for a single ceremony, organizers brought the celebration to them. On Saturday, opening festivities happened simultaneously in four locations across Italy: Milan's San Siro stadium, plus the mountain towns of Cortina d'Ampezzo, Livigno, and Predazzo. New Zealand's team, led by flag bearers Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Ben Barclay, marched in Livigno alongside other winter sport competitors.

The innovative format created a quirky moment: the first five countries in the traditional parade (Greece, Albania, Andorra, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina) had zero athletes show up at the main Milan stadium. They were all celebrating in the mountains where their competitions would actually take place.

The 61,000-person sellout crowd at San Siro didn't miss out on spectacle. Italy showcased its cultural heritage through dancers from Teatro alla Scala, oversized mascot heads of opera composers Puccini and Verdi, and fashion designs by the late Giorgio Armani. Mariah Carey performed "Volare" in Italian to cheering crowds both in Milan and streaming to Cortina, where hundreds sang along.

Even the Olympic flame got an upgrade. Instead of one cauldron, two will burn throughout the Games: one in Milan and another 400 kilometers away in Cortina, both designed as tributes to Leonardo da Vinci's geometric studies.

Why This Inspires

This reimagined ceremony solves a problem that's plagued Winter Olympics for decades. Mountain sports happen in mountain venues, sometimes hours from major cities, forcing athletes to choose between long travel days and missing the opening ceremony entirely.

By bringing the celebration to multiple locations across 22,000 square kilometers (roughly the size of New Jersey), organizers showed respect for athletes' preparation needs while maintaining the spirit of global unity. Skiers, snowboarders, and bobsledders could experience the magic without compromising their competition readiness.

The format also honored Italy's diverse geography and cultural richness. From Milan's fashion and opera traditions to the Dolomites' Alpine beauty, the multi-city approach let each region shine. The closing ceremony will take yet another bow in Verona, Shakespeare's setting for "Romeo and Juliet."

This Olympics proves that tradition can evolve without losing meaning, making the Games more accessible and athlete-centered than ever before.