Select events at the Milan Cortina Olympics are already underway, but the “start” of the Olympics is always associated with the Opening Ceremony. The event, which kicks off every Olympics, often features massive displays of pageantry by the host country, celebrating the history of the games and highlighting athletes from each country.
While an impressive show is expected Friday, the Milan Cortina Games will do a few things differently during the Opening Ceremony. For the first time in Olympics history, the event will be spread across multiple locations. The main ceremony will be held at Milan’s San Siro Olympic Stadium. At the same time, Cortina d’Ampezzo — one of the game’s host cities — will also stage a ceremony of its own.
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With the Winter Olympics 2026 Opening Ceremony nearly underway, here’s everything you need to know about the festivities at the Milan Cortina games.
When is the Opening Ceremony?
The Milan Cortina Opening Ceremony will take place Friday, Feb. 6, at roughly 2 p.m. ET. It will be 8 p.m. in Italy when the Opening Ceremony kicks off. The entire event is expected to take roughly three hours.
Olympics Opening Ceremony schedule
Organizers keep the exact schedule for the Opening Ceremony a secret as a way to surprise viewers. Opening Ceremonies at the Olympics typically feature a parade of athletes and flagbearers — Erin Jackson and Frank Del Duca for the Unites States — and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron. There will be plenty of other surprises thrown into the ceremony, but there is no set schedule of events once the opening ceremony begins.
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What time is the Olympic cauldron lighting?
There’s no exact time set for the Olympic cauldron lighting, but they — yes, there are two, one in Milan, the other in Cortina — will likely be lit toward the end of the opening ceremony. With the Opening Ceremony expected to last about three hours, the cauldrons will likely be lit in the last 30-45 minutes of the event.
A device believed to be the Olympic Cauldron stands at Arco della Pace on February 1, 2026 in Milano, Italy. The Opening Ceremony for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Games takes place on February 6th 2026. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
(Maja Hitij via Getty Images)
Why are there two Olympic cauldrons at the 2026 games?
History will be made at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. During the Opening Ceremony on Friday, Olympic torches will be used to light two separate cauldrons, the first time that’s ever happened in the history of the event.
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The lightings, which will take place simultaneously, will occur in two separate locations. One is located in Milano at the Arco della Pace. The second is located in Cortina d’Ampezzo in Piazza Dibona. Olympic organizers decided on two cauldrons as a way to show harmony and unity between both host cities of the 2026 Olympics.
The cauldrons are meant to evoke the work of Leonardo da Vinci, particularly his knots, which appeared in his paintings and in his manuscripts.
Who will perform at the Opening Ceremony?
Mariah Carey is among the performers who will appear at the ceremony. Carey is a six-time Grammy award winner and a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In addition to Carey, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli will also perform at the Opening Ceremony. Chinese pianist Lang Lang and Italian actor Sabrina Impacciatore will also perform at the event.
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How to watch the Milan Cortina Opening Ceremony
The Milan Cortina Opening Ceremony will air on NBC and stream on Peacock. The event will be carried live on Peacock around 2 p.m. ET. It will then air in primetime on NBC at 8 p.m. ET.
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