Two Olympic flames rose into the night sky Friday, one beneath Milan’s Arco della Pace and the other in Cortina d’Ampezzo, marking the official start of the 2026 Winter Games in a ceremony that unfolded across northern Italy.
In a first for a Winter Olympics, twin cauldrons were lit simultaneously to symbolize the partnership between the urban host, Milan, and its Alpine counterpart roughly 250 miles away. Retired Italian Alpine champions Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni ignited the Milan flame, while downhill gold medalist Sofia Goggia lit the cauldron in Cortina. The lighting capped a 63-day torch relay across Italy.
