On Wednesday, November 26, organizers lit the flame for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in a scaled-down indoor ceremony at Ancient Olympia in Greece. Relocated inside due to wet weather warnings, this marks the final major milestone before the opening ceremony on February 6, 2026.
The event welcomed International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry and IOC Honorary President Thomas Bach, among other distinguished guests. In a nod to tradition, the flame was first ignited by the rays of the sun during a Monday rehearsal – preserving the purity of the ancient ritual.
Greek rower Petros Gkaidatzis, bronze medalist at Paris 2024, carried the flame through the Greek leg of the torch relay, handing it to Italian icons Stefania Belmondo, a two-time Olympic cross-country skiing champion, and Armin Zoeggeler, double Olympic luge gold medalist. Their joint run symbolized a bridge between Olympic legends and rising stars.
Next up, the flame will return to Athens on December 4 for an official handover before beginning a three-month tour across Italy. The relay will traverse 60 cities and 300 towns, powered by 10,001 torchbearers, before arriving in Cortina d'Ampezzo on January 26 – exactly 70 years after the 1956 Winter Games opened at the same venue.
On February 6, the torch will complete its journey at Milan's San Siro Stadium, where the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will light up the world stage.
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Flame for 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics lit in Ancient Olympia
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