On Thursday, December 4, the Olympic flame for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games touched down in Rome, marking the start of an epic journey across Italy. Fresh from its ceremonial handover at Athens’s Panathenaic Stadium, the flame was carried off the ITA Airways flight by tennis star Jasmine Paolini, women’s doubles gold medalist at the 2024 Paris Summer Games, alongside Local Organizing Committee chief Giovanni Malagò.
“I feel honored,” Paolini said. “It’s an incredible emotion.” The flame was quickly driven to the Quirinale Palace, where it will be formally lit by Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella in a ceremony this Friday, with International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry expected to attend.
From Saturday, the 63-day torch relay will weave through all 110 Italian provinces, covering some 12,000 kilometers. With 10,001 torchbearers, the flame will travel from Rome’s statue-lined Stadio dei Marmi, pass through historic towns and Alpine villages, and culminate at San Siro Stadium on February 6, 2026, for the Winter Games opening ceremony.
This marks the first Olympic flame journey on Italian soil since the 2006 Turin Winter Games. Organizers promise a route that highlights local culture, sustainable practices, and immersive experiences—inviting travelers, sports fans, and changemakers to follow along and celebrate together.
Back in Athens, Malagò reflected on the Panathenaic handover: “Standing in this historic stadium reminds us of the honor we carry and the treasure we bring home.” With the torch relay set to light up Italy over the winter months, the road to Milano Cortina is officially ablaze.
Reference(s):
Flame for 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics makes arrival in Italy
cgtn.com
