Winter Olympics Opens Across 4 Italian Cities

The Milano Cortina Winter Olympics just made history by splitting its opening ceremony across four Italian cities, bringing the celebration closer to where athletes will actually compete.

On Friday night, 61,000 spectators filled Milan's iconic San Siro Stadium for the main ceremony while athletes paraded through Livigno, Cortina, and Predazzo. With competition venues spanning 22,000 kilometers across northern Italy, organizers decided to let teams march near their actual event locations instead of traveling hours to a single parade.

Australian moguls champions Jakara Anthony and Matt Graham led their 23-person team through Livigno in the Italian Alps, rallying teammates with a spirited "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi oi oi." Five ice skaters marched in Milan, 10 sliders and alpine skiers walked in Cortina, while Australia's cross-country skiers skipped the festivities entirely to prepare for Saturday's competition.

The symbolism extended to the Olympic flame itself. Former Italian skiing legends Deborah Compagnoni and Alberto Tomba lit one cauldron in Milan while current star Sofia Goggia simultaneously ignited another 400 kilometers away in Cortina.

American icon Mariah Carey delivered "Volare" in Italian, tenor Andrea Bocelli wowed the crowd, and Milan-born rapper Ghali honored the host city. Italian President Sergio Mattarella officially opened the 25th Winter Olympics after a playful video showed him arriving by tram driven by motorcycle legend Valentino Rossi.

Why This Inspires

New IOC President Kirsty Coventry set the tone for her first Games with a powerful message. "You'll show us that strength isn't just about winning. It's about courage, empathy and heart," she told the 2,900 assembled athletes.

The multi-city format might seem complicated, but it actually solved a problem. Instead of athletes spending precious energy and recovery time traveling to Milan only to return to distant mountain venues, they stayed fresh and focused near their competition sites.

This approach also spread the Olympic magic across northern Italy, letting more communities participate directly in hosting. Four cities got to welcome the world instead of just one.

These Games represent Italy's first Winter Olympics since Torino 2006 and will award 116 gold medals over the next two weeks. The unity message feels especially meaningful as 92 nations gather to compete and celebrate together.