The Latest: Milan Cortina Winter Olympics kicks off with a four-site, two-cauldron opening ceremony

MILAN (AP) — An unprecedented four-site, dual-cauldron Winter Olympics opening ceremony replete with references to Italian icons and culture has officially kicked off the Milan Cortina Games, as the sports spectacle returns to a nation that last hosted the event 20 years ago.

This is the most spread-out Winter Olympics in history, with competition venues dotting an area of about 8,500 square miles (more than 22,000 square kilometers), roughly the size of the entire state of New Jersey.

The main hub Friday is in Milan at San Siro soccer stadium. There also will be three other places where athletes can march, some carrying their country’s flag: Cortina d’Ampezzo in the heart of the Dolomite mountains; Livigno in the Alps; Predazzo in the autonomous province of Trento.

That allows up-in-the-mountains sports such as Alpine skiing, bobsled, curling and snowboarding to be represented in the Parade of Nations without needing to make the several-hours-long trek to Milan, the country’s financial capital, and back.

Italian President declares the Olympics open

Italian President Sergio Mattarella has declared the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics open.

The declaration was followed by huge sparklers shooting from the stage.

Malagò cheered by fans in San Siro

Giovanni Malagò, the president of the Milan Cortina Foundation that organized the 2026 Winter Olympics, told the crowd in San Siro, “Benvenuti,” or “Welcome” in Italian, adding, “We welcome you to a land of history and innovation, of creative culture and passion.’′

Malagò was head of the Italian Olympic Committee when Italy won the bid to stage the Milan Cortina Games.

He was cheered several times, including when he said he loved sports, “and I love the Olympic movement,’′ and when he called out all of the territories across northern Italy that are hosting venues.

Who is that guy laying down the smooth beats? Meet MACE

The 90-minute-long march of athletes was sent bumping right along by the smooth beats of MACE, an Italian DJ.

MACE’s real name is Simone Benussi. He performed behind a turntable that appeared to be set on a table of ice.

The athletes seemed to dig his music, with many bouncing along to the beats as they paraded and waved flags at the different venues.

Italians’ second language: Gestures

Italians are famous around the world for their hand gestures, and Milanese comic Brenda Lodigiani acquainted non-Italians in the crowd with their meaning.

The segment was inspired by Bruno Munari’s 1963 “Supplement to the Italian dictionary.’’

She drew a hand across her chest: Perfect. Hands in a prayer mode, rapidly moving up and down: Good Heavens. All fingers pinched together, and moving quickly: “What do you want?” Fingers crossed, the universal sign for, “Wish me luck.”

Lodigiani spoke only to say: “Welcome to Italy.”

Celebrating 100 years of Winter Olympics

Italian actress Sabrina Impacciatore delivered a passionate dance routine with a troupe wearing dressed alternatively as hockey players and in colorful 1980s ski wear, a tribute to 100 years of Winter Olympics, including Cortina in 1956 and Turin in 2006.

Impacciatore is best known for international audiences for her role in the second season of “White Lotus” as the hotel manager in the Sicilian seaside town of Taormina.

During this routine, she acquainted the audience with some Italian classics, including a 1972 hit by Adriano Celentano with a driving beat and tongue-twisting nonsense lyrics meant to imitate English.

The name of the song says it all: “Prisencolinensinainciusol.’’ Try saying that out loud.

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Italy ends the Parade of Nations

Stylish as ever in Emporio Armani, Italy’s athletes have signaled the end of the beloved Parade of Nations. And the home nation walked out to resounding cheers, and the rousing song from the iconic opening aria from the opera The Barber of Seville.

This marks the third time Italy has hosted the Winter Olympics: Cortina previously hosted in 1956, and Turin held the Games in 2006.

Italy has also hosted the Summer Olympics once, in Rome in 1960.

US athletes cheered, JD Vance booed

Cheers went up for U.S. athletes when they entered San Siro, but an image of U.S. Vice President JD Vance shown on screens was met with boos.

Vance attended the opening ceremony along with his wife, second lady Usha Vance, who was sitting next to former International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.

Vance and his wife cheered on the athletes,waving their handheld American flags and clapping. Vance is leading the U.S delegation.

Support for the U.S. among its allies has been eroding as the Trump administration has taken an aggressive posture on foreign policy, including punishing tariffs, military action in Venezuela and threats to invade Greenland.

Thunderous applause for Ukraine’s athletes

The Ukrainian delegation was met with deafening applause as athletes and staff entered San Siro.

Feb. 24 will mark four years since Russia launched a military invasion of Ukraine.

Despite the ongoing war, athletes from Ukraine are still competing at the Games.

Ukraine’s young skiers practiced in a bombed-out training base

Ukraine’s historic Chernihiv biathlon and cross-country training center, which produced the country’s first Olympic medalist, remains in ruins after Russia’s 2022 invasion.

Despite bombed-out buildings and constant air-raid threats, children and Olympic hopefuls continue to train on its damaged ski tracks.

Athletes like Khrystyna Dmytrenko return sometimes, seeing sport as resilience amid war. Coaches work under dangerous conditions as explosions echo nearby.

The scene in Cortina: Champagne and high-fives galore

Along the athletes’ parade route in Cortina, there are no signs of the party slowing down as the ceremony enters its third hour.

There are a few bottles of Champagne stuck in snowbanks to keep them cold, and revelers on the patio of a hotel bar are huddling under heat lamps to stay warm as the temperature falls.

The high-five count between fans and athletes has to be in the thousands at this point, as the scene in Cortina allows parade onlookers to be just a few feet from the Olympians.

Slovenia’s flag bearers are standout sibling ski jumpers

The pair carrying Slovenia’s flag and sign are siblings who have dominated ski jumping this season and are now top medal contenders in Predazzo.

Domen and Nika Prevc are both world record holders for the longest jumps and are atop World Cup standings. It’s the first Olympics for the two, though their older brothers, Peter and Cene, are five-time Olympic medalists who are now retired.

The two led their nation’s delegation to rousing applause at the ski hill where they hope to make their mark.

Nika goes for the gold Saturday in the women’s normal hill event. Domen competes in the men’s normal hill jump Monday.

The two could team up Tuesday in the mixed event.

Spain stuns in red

The Spanish team was decked out in head-to-toe red with flashes of yellow to mimic their national flag.

Designed by Spanish sportswear brand Joma, the opening ceremony kit featured an anorak and trousers.

Full red is Spain’s go-to color for sports. Its successful national soccer team is called “La Roja.”

Poland athlete gets carried during opening ceremony

One athlete representing Poland was held aloft as if in flight by a teammate as they walked through San Siro.

Injured Chilean skier marches with crutches

Chilean skier Henrik Von Appen has marched with the help of crutches after his Olympic dreams were shattered following a crash.

Von Appen injured his right knee and suffered cuts to his face when he crashed a little over a week ago at Crans-Montana in Switzerland. Lindsey Vonn and other skiers also crashed out at that event.

“These Games have been my goal for four years,” he wrote on social media a few days later, saying “it is with enormous sorrow” that he could not participate in them.

But he was able to participate at the opening ceremony in the mountain town of Livigno, where the men’s alpine skiers who will compete in Bormio are marching.

Czech Republic outfits combine retro with Italian flair

The Czech Republic partnered with ALPINE PRO for its funky opening ceremony outfits.

The red, gold, black and white knit sweaters featured a bold, retro-inspired pattern that, unusually, did not match Czechia’s red, white and blue national flag.

Czech company ALPINE PRO instead opted to channel unconventional Italian design as an homage to the hosts. The knitwear was finished with a long red scarf in the Italian style.

Mexico gets cheered in Milan

The Mexican delegation, led by figure skater Donovan Carillo, received tremendous cheers when they entered San Siro.

The three athletes in Milan, four in Predazzo and three in Cortina wore winter jackets inspired by traditional indigenous patterns known to the country.

Mongolia honors its cashmere history

Mongolian brand Goyol Cashmere launched its Olympic looks last month to instant internet acclaim. The designers were inspired by the “warrior spirit” of Mongolians who, for thousands of years, used cashmere to endure the brutal winters of the Central Asian highlands, the company wrote on social media.

The designers leaned heavily on attire dating to the Great Mongol Empire between the 13th and 15th centuries, the brand said.

At the Milan Cortina Games, each Mongolian athlete will wear a cashmere ceremonial deel — traditional tunics or robes — with silk trimmings to honor the past and present.

More casual looks will also feature cashmere, such as knitwear that draws upon the alpine ski sweater style of Western mountain culture and traditional Mongolian motifs.

Norway boasts the most winter medals

Norway has more than 400 winter medals according to Olympics.com.

Correction: A previous version of this post erroneously reported Norway had 329 total medals.

Israeli delegation booed

The Israeli delegation received a smattering of boos when it entered San Siro.

The four athletes in Milan put on a stoic face, with frozen smiles.

There have been some calls for Israel to be banned from the Games over the war in Gaza that has killed tens of thousands of civilians. A ceasefire has attempted to halt the more than 2-year-old war, which began with Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, but it has been marred by repeated flare-ups of violence.

In the 2023 attack that started the war, thousands of Hamas-led militants poured into southern Israel after a surprise barrage of rockets, killing 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and abducting 251.

More than 71,800 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts.

Israel’s first Olympic bobsled team for bid they have dubbed ‘Shul Runnings’

Israel’s first bobsled team is set to compete in the Milan Cortina Winter Games. The team includes a diverse group of athletes, such as a pole-vaulter, sprinter and former Olympian in skeleton.

AJ Edelman, the team leader, is believed to be the first Orthodox Jew to compete in a Winter Games. Ward Farwaseh may be the first Druze Olympian.

It’s an odyssey they liken to the hit Disney classic “Cool Runnings,” or, as they put it “Shul Runnings.”

Their participation comes amid international backlash over Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Haiti’s outfits are inspired by a painting

Haiti’s two-man Olympic team will be sporting gear designed by Italian-Haitian designer Stella Jean and inspired by a Haitian artist’s painting.

The uniforms originally featured Toussaint Louverture, the former slave who led a revolution that created the world’s first Black republic in 1804, astride a red horse. But the IOC ruled that the image violated Olympic rules barring political symbolism, forcing Jean to paint over the nation’s founding father.

That left only Louverture’s charging steed — representing Haiti’s founding moment — against a lush tropical backdrop and azure sky.

The IOC didn’t respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment, but no demonstration of political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic site or venue.

Norovirus case in Swiss women’s hockey team

A case of norovirus for a Switzerland women’s hockey player meant the entire squad did not take part in the parade of athletes in Milan.

The positive test was detected only after the team beat the Czech Republic on Friday and “shortly before” the opening ceremony, the Swiss Olympic team says. The athlete was not identified by the team, which says the squad is now in isolation.

An outbreak of the stomach virus in the Finland women’s squad forced the postponement of its opening game Thursday against Canada.

Nations out of order?

In case you’re wondering why the nations aren’t coming into the opening ceremony in alphabetical order, they are.

Sort of.

Greece, per Olympic tradition as the originator of the ancient games, almost always enters the ceremony first and then it shifts to alphabetical order — that is, the Italian alphabet.

And the final three nations to enter the ceremony will have nothing to do with the alphabet.

The U.S. goes third to last because it’ll host the 2034 Utah Games. France goes next to last because it’ll host the 2030 French Alps Games. And host Italy will be the final nation out.

No parade but a nice turnout in Bormio

These far-flung Olympics have events in villages across northern Italy, and the opening ceremony had formal events in a few of them.

Bormio, the host site for men’s Alpine skiing and ski mountaineering, was not on the list, but that didn’t keep people from turning out to pack a piazza and watch the ceremony on a large TV screen. Bells in the historic clock tower began ringing precisely at 8 p.m.

The bells once warned citizens of danger or summoned them for meetings. This time, it was to celebrate.

Kids ran around with noise-makers, and several red balls were batted around in the audience as temperatures dipped to around freezing.

Brazil’s coat becomes a cape

Italian luxury brand Moncler designed an over-large white puffer coat for Brazil’s athletes.

But Alpine ski racer Lucas Pinheiro Braathen stunned the crowd in Milan by opening his coat, now functioning similar to a cape, to reveal the blue, green and gold Brazilian flag on the inside lining.

Opening ceremony stadium sold out

The opening ceremony sold out, with 61,000 people in attendance at San Siro, organizers said Friday. While ticket prices went as high as the symbolic sum of 2,026 euros (over $2,300), volunteers were offered a deal at 26 euros ($31) a piece, and people under 26 years old could buy two for the price of one.

China brings its biggest winter delegation

China’s 126 athletes heading to the Milan Cortina Games make up its largest delegation ever for a Winter Olympics.

Selfie stop on Olympic parade

Athletes are lining up outside the ski jump stadium to take part in the spread-out parade of nations. Competitors from Japan are now entering, followed by teams from Iran, Ireland, and Kazakhstan.

There’s a lively atmosphere at the main entrance, with athletes stopping to take selfies as they wait to go in.

Canada wins for ‘Heated Rivalry’ popularity

The Canadian delegation is getting a boost from the hit hockey romance TV series “Heated Rivalry.” The series, based off the “Game Changers” books, has captivated viewers with the fictional story of a Canadian and a Russian hockey player sustaining a decadelong secret relationship. Co-stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie carried the Olympic torch in Feltre, Italy, last month.

Austrians and Australians pumped up in Livigno

The Austrian and Australian athletes were jamming to the beats of the DJ as they followed their flag bearers through the golden hoop entrance in the outside Livigno opening ceremony.

Two-time gold medalist snowboarder Anna Gasser waved the Austrian flag while being carried on the shoulders of a teammate.

Canadian frontier inspires lululemon

For Canada, lululemon looked to the frontier for fashion. The athleisure brand overlaid the North American country’s topographic map with colors ranging from deep red to iceberg-inspired greens and blues.

For Paralympians, athletes next month can expect new adaptive footwear and seated-fit styles, as well as uniforms featuring braille characters and magnetic zippers.

Of course, the signature maple leaf makes a big splash, too.

No athletes in San Siro

It wasn’t until the sixth country walked out that there was finally an athlete on stage at the opening ceremony in Milan.

Greece, Albania, Andorra, Saudia Arabia and Argentina do not have athletes competing in Milan.

The countries’ sign holders instead walked the runway, wearing a long silver puffer jacket.

Armenia was the first country to walk out with four athletes at San Siro to a huge cheer.

Benin’s first Winter Games

Alpine skier Nathan Tchibozo is Benin’s first winter Olympian. He’ll be the West African country’s flag bearer before turning 22 on Feb. 15.

Tchibozo walked in Livigno.

Athletes are spread out across sites

Greek athlete Nefeli Tita led fellow cross‑country athletes, Konstantina Charalampidou and Apostolos Aggelis out in Predazzo, while Alpine skier Maria Eleni Tsiovolou walked in Cortina.

Tita was a late change of flag bearer for Greece, replacing Alexandros Ginnis.

Greece had wanted all its athletes to walk out in San Siro, but local organizers turned the request down in an effort to cause the least inconvenience to athletes in mountain clusters far away from Milan.

Greece kicks off the Parade of Nations

As the birthplace of the Olympics, Greece always holds the honor of being the first delegation in the Parade of Nations.

More than 3,500 athletes from 93 countries will compete in this year’s Winter Games. The delegations will go in alphabetical order in Italian, though host nation Italy will close out the parade.

The Olympic Rings have been formed

A key moment of every opening ceremony is the formation of the five Olympic rings.

Two aerial acrobats were lifted high into the stadium in the center of two golden rings, falling dramatically into a spinning formation from the highest point.

Three more golden rings arrived, and the final positioning of all five rings was marked with surging sparklers.

Livigno watches Milan ceremony and waits for flag bearers

A few thousand people gathered in the mountain cold to watch the opening ceremony extravaganza in Milan on two large screens set up in Livingo’s snowboard park.

Some national flag bearers are scheduled to march here — nearly four hours from Milan in the Alps — as part of the spread-out ceremony.

Olympic rings begin to arrive

Popular Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino read “The Infinite” by Giacomo Leopardi, and Giovanni Andrea Zanon played violin among twirling dancers for a section marking an Ode to Italy.

The Olympic rings are starting to arrive, setting the stage for the assembly of the five of them interlocked.

Livigno watches Milan ceremony and waits for flag bearers

A few thousand people gathered in the mountain cold to watch the opening ceremony extravaganza in Milan on two large screens set up in Livingo’s snowboard park.

Some national flag bearers are scheduled to march here — nearly four hours from Milan in the Alps — as part of the spread-out ceremony.

Italian flag projected on ski jump hill

The large ski hill in Predazzo was lit up like the Italian flag as the national anthem was playing.

Spectators joined in as Laura Pausini sang.

Who will light the Olympic flames?

It’s still a surprise. There has been plenty of buzz and many guesses about which famous Italians were chosen to take part in the Opening Ceremony’s finale, with organizers keeping the identities under wraps.

Pausini sings anthem

Italian pop singer Laura Pausini sang a powerful version of Italy’s national anthem as the flag was raised simultaneously in Milan’s San Siro and Cortina’s Piazza Dibona. A chorus joined in via video link from Cortina.

A tribute to Giorgio Armani

A photo of a smiling Giorgio Armani was broadcast on six screens in San Siro, introducing a tribute to the Milan fashion icon who died Sept. 4 at the age of 91.

Armani was linked to the Olympics as the long-time designer of the U.S. uniforms.

Three groups of models walked a runway wearing Armani creations in the tri-colors of the Italian flag: green, red and white.

Model Vittoria Ceretti presented the flag to the honor guard for the flag-raising ceremony.

Italy’s president arrives Milan-style

Italy’s head of state, President Sergio Mattarella, arrived at the opening ceremony Milan-style — aboard one of the city’s classic orange trams, accompanied by former motorcycle racer Valentino Rossi.

The trams dating from nearly a century ago are still in circulation, beckoning a bygone era with wooden interiors and ornate lighting.

Mattarella took center stage with International Olympic Committee chairman Kirsty Coventry for the flag-raising ceremony.

Big-headed composer

Verdi, Puccini and Rossini are now taking the role of crowd animators, leading the live audience in the “Milano e Cortina oh oh oh oh oh,” electronic refrain.

Mariah Carey resonates in Cortina

In Cortina, hundreds of fans sang along with Carey in Italian, and there was an audible roar when they realized she was performing “Volare.”

Mariah Carey sings in Italian

American pop start Mariah Carey delighted an Italian audience singing the iconic 1958 Italian song “Nel blu, dipinto di blu,’’ which most non-Italian speakers will recognize for its popular chorus: “Volare.”

The crowd couldn’t resist singing along.

She segued into the powerful 2025 ballad “Nothing is impossible” for the second part of a Italo-American medley. The song is an apt choice for the Olympic Games with its message of overcoming obstacles.

Carey wore a dress sequined dress with feather boa details by celebrated Italian designer Fausto Puglisi as she belted out the Italian classic tune center stage facing the national delegations.

Food, art and fashion take the stage

An explosion of color has burst into San Siro.

Three giant paint tubes hang in the air with red, yellow and blue colors spilling out of them as dancers in bright costumes have filled the stage.

Their costumes represent Italian food, art and fashion.

It ended with a burst of firework.

Three Big Heads

The three big-headed figures represent three of Italian classical music’s biggest composers: Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini and Gioachino Rossini.

They appear as masters of Italian harmony, being conducted by Italian actress Matilda de Angelis. Harmony is the theme of this opening ceremony, coming amid rising global tensions and strained partnerships.

The Olympic Truce, which runs from the beginning of the Olympics to the end of the Paralympics in March, calls for all participating nations to stop any hostilities.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance is in attendance

U.S. Vice President JD Vance has arrived at San Siro.

Vance could be seen greeting people in the stands roughly 10 minutes before the show got underway. He’s at San Siro a night after attending the U.S. women’s hockey team’s first game on Thursday.

Teatro alla Scala’s academy dancers open the show

The show has started!

Dancers from the famed Teatro alla Scala’s academy are mimicking winter sports for the opening number, as they dance around lighted podiums, some of which hold oversized copies of neoclassic sculptures by Antonio Canova.

Two central dancers represented Cupid and Psyche, symbolizing the union of the soul with divine love, while the rest of the troupe mimicked winter sports: swinging their arms for speed skating and planting imaginary poles for cross country skiing.

This section of the opening ceremony is celebrating Italian beauty.

The opening ceremony has begun

An announcement in French, English and Italian signaled the start of the opening ceremony to the roar of the crowd.

Dancers are taking the stage under the cover of darkness.

San Siro is packed and full of anticipation for 2 1/2 hours of entertainment and the Parade of Athletes.

For sliders, an opening ceremony like none other

If this was a conventional Olympic opening ceremony, U.S. skeleton teammates and reigning mixed world champions Mystique Ro and Austin Florian likely would not have been able to attend.

But with a satellite portion of the opening in Cortina d’Ampezzo — where the sliding events take place — U.S. luge, bobsled and skeleton athletes will be able to march into the start of the games.

Milan would be a five- or six-hour bus ride, each way.

“Convenient? Yes,” Ro said. “But I think it’s really fun that we have an intimate way of doing it as well. It’s unique.”

Sliders on the various World Cup tours are basically together every week all winter, racing in one place one weekend and then moving on to the next stop. Friendships with sliders from other countries are common, and Florian said being able to celebrate with other sliders added to the experience.

“That makes this really special,” Florian said.

18,000 volunteers wear kits designed to evoke camaraderie

The 18,000 volunteers spread across the Winter Games are wearing uniforms designed by French sportswear brand Salomon.

Decked out in navy blue and teal with splashes of green and yellow, each volunteer received 17 pieces to wear during the Games.

They’re designed to be instantly recognizable for athletes and spectators — and to show that the volunteers are a team of their own.

Calm before the storm

Everything has gone silent at San Siro.

Only the blades of a helicopter can be heard overhead with the start of the opening ceremony imminent.

An Italian with another flag in Cortina

An Italian without the Italian flag will be the first athlete to march in the Cortina parade.

Alpine skier Lara Colturi, who was born and raised in Italy but represents Albania, will have the honor of carrying her adopted country’s flag.

Colturi is the daughter of Daniela Ceccarelli, the 2002 Olympic gold medalist in super-G, and ski coach Alessandro Colturi. Since Ceccarelli had started to collaborate on coaching with the Albanian ski federation and her parents wanted to continue coaching her, Colturi obtained Albanian citizenship in 2022 and switched nationalities.

The final two flag bearers in Cortina will be Alpine skier Federica Brignone and curler Amos Mosaner for host Italy.

Luge athletes get opening ceremony wish granted

American luger Ashley Farquharson says she and her teammates were “pretty bummed” that they would miss the opening ceremony in Milan because it is so far away from the sliding competition in Cortina. Then a ceremony was announced in the mountain resort town.

She and her teammates were psyched, and they are planning to attend. Ansel Haugsjaa says participating is a surreal, “you made it” moment.

Another teammate, Zachary DiGregorio, knows there will be a smaller number of Team USA athletes in Cortina, but “there is something special about walking behind the flag with all your teammates.”

Ukrainian flag bearer tells AP about what his role at opening means

At the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Vladyslav Heraskevych carried a sign.

At these Milan Cortina Games, he’s carrying a flag.

The Ukrainian skeleton athlete — who flashed a small sign saying “No War in Ukraine” to the cameras after racing in Beijing four years ago was one of his country’s flag bearers Friday night.

Russia invaded Ukraine shortly after those Beijing Games ended. Heraskevych has been actively speaking out ever since, and being picked to represent Ukraine on the world stage deeply moved him.

“It means a lot, especially during a time of full-scale war,” he told The Associated Press in Cortina shortly before the start of the opening ceremony. “I’m very grateful for this opportunity. It’s a great honor for me. Also, people in Ukraine were really happy about my role as a flag bearer, and it meant even more to me.”

Leonardo da Vinci’s legacy lights up the Olympics with two cauldrons

Two Olympic cauldrons for the Games will pay homage to Leonardo da Vinci.

They have a sun-like structure inspired by Leonardo’s intricate knot patterns.

The cauldrons have been designed to open and close — with a diameter that expands from 3.1 meters to 4.5 meters (10.2 feet to 14.8 feet) — and will contain the Olympic flame at their core, encased in a glass and metal container.

Greece names new flag bearer after Olympic parade dispute

Greece has changed its flagbearer for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony after organizers rejected a request for the national team to parade together at Milan’s San Siro Stadium.

Greece traditionally leads the athletes’ parade, reflecting its role as the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games.

The Hellenic Olympic Committee confirmed that cross-country skier Nefeli Tita will now carry the flag in Predazzo, replacing alpine skier Alexandros Ginnis.

This year’s ceremony will be staged across four locations — San Siro, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Predazzo and Livigno — in an unprecedented multivenue format that will allow athletes to take part closer to their competition sites.

Tita, a 22-year-old medical student, is competing in her second Winter Olympics after making her debut at Beijing in 2022.

Unboxing Olympic outfits

Olympians worldwide have gone viral on social media this week with their unboxing videos.

Athletes, and some volunteers, took to TikTok to unveil their new ’fits. Some danced in their cozy duds, while others unwrapped the individually wrapped items like thick woolen socks and Nordic-inspired sweaters.

Faith at the Winter Olympics

Ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, Milan’s Catholic archdiocese launched a multi-year program that uses sport to promote values such as inclusion and solidarity among children and adolescents

Milan Cortina is going for Olympic fashion gold

Fashion is its own competitor in any Olympics, from team uniforms at the opening and closing ceremonies to individual looks in the stadiums and, during the Winter Games, on the slopes.

The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics were heralded as the most stylish yet, but Milan Cortina is going for gold on the heels of its annual men’s fashion week.

Some teams have already gone viral with photos and videos of their looks, but others are keeping quiet. Instead of an unveiling ahead of time, they’re counting on a big reveal during the opening ceremony.

Hot wine helps spectators keep warm

Temperatures are just above freezing at the ski jump venue in Predazzo as the opening ceremony approaches.

Spectators — around 200 in the stands — have not been deprived of alcoholic refreshments, with Prosecco, beer, tea and Italy’s winter staple, vin brulé, on sale.

The spiced hot red wine, heated with citrus and warming spices, is a familiar sight in northern Italy’s Alpine regions. It’s proving popular this evening, with fans queuing to warm their hands around steaming cups as final preparations continue.

Europe’s rising diversity is not reflected in the Winter Games

Immigration from Africa and the Middle East has transformed the demographics of Europe in recent decades. And while the growing diversity is reflected in many sports, such as soccer — Sweden’s men’s national team has several Black players, including Liverpool striker Alexander Isak — it hasn’t made a dent in winter sports.

Blogging from Berlin

Hallo aus Berlin!

Freezing rain in Germany’s capital Thursday wreaked havoc on the Berlin airport, canceling flights and stranding thousands of passengers for two days — including me!

Three aborted flights later, I’m still here and hoping to depart Saturday morning to join my AP coworkers in Milan.

For now, I’ll be watching the opening ceremony with friends and eating takeout pizza. As the Germans say, press your thumbs in good luck for me!

Manufactured snow

With climate change affecting winter sports, snowmaking has become essential.

These days, manufactured snow — also known as “technical snow” — is a way of life in ski racing, so much so that Olympic athletes don’t think twice about competing on it. Above all else, they want a course that will hold up over multiple training runs and the races themselves without becoming too mushy or rutted.

Climate change will reshape future Winter Games

Of 93 mountain locations that currently have the winter sports infrastructure to host elite competition, only 52 should have the snow depth and sufficiently cold temperatures to be able to host a Winter Olympics in the 2050s, according to research that the IOC is using for planning of future events.

Inside rehearsals for the opening ceremony

Tailors work on clothes during rehearsals for the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, at a compound in a big tent next to San Siro Stadium, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Over the last two weeks, opening ceremony rehearsals ramped up to some nine hours a day – all in pursuit of Olympic emotion for what is billed as the most-viewed moment of the Games.

Some 60,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony live in San Siro, including a U.S. delegation led by Vice President JD Vance, while millions around the world will watch on official broadcasters.

The Paralympics begin next month

The Milan Cortina Paralympics will run from March 6-15. There are six Paralympic Winter sports.

Spotted: Tina and Milo, the stoat mascots of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics

Tina and Milo, the official mascots of Milano Cortina 2026, were making their rounds before the opening ceremony began.

Tina, short for Cortina, is the lighter-colored stoat and represents the Olympic Winter Games. Her younger brother Milo, short for Milano, is the face of the Paralympic Winter Games.

Milo was born without one paw but learned to use his tail and turn his difference into a strength, according to the Olympics website.

But what’s a stoat? It’s a small mustelid, like a weasel or an otter.

Cortina’s Athletes’ Village is Spartan

The Winter Olympians who have signed up to stay in Cortina’s Athletes’ Village should not expect luxury accommodations or a cozy fire to snuggle up next to after a long day on the mountain.

The temporary village that will house up to 1,400 athletes and other team members consists of 377 rented mobile homes arranged near one another on a humid valley floor.

The Associated Press was the first international media outlet allowed in for an early look at the facility, which is in an unpopulated area about a 10-minute drive or 1-hour walk north of downtown Cortina.

In exchange for amenities, though, comes close contact to the Dolomites.

Host Italy will have 146 athletes marching in the ceremonies

Of host Italy’s 196-athlete team at the Games, 146 will march in the ceremonies.

The Italian Olympic Committee says 70 of its athletes will march at San Siro Stadium, led by flag bearers Arianna Fontana (short track) and Federico Pellegrino (cross-country skiing).

There will be 35 Italians marching in Cortina, led by flag bearers Federica Brignone (Alpine skiing) and Amos Mosaner (curling); 28 in Livigno and 13 in Predazzo.

Olympic icemaking is an art and a science

If Goldilocks were a speedskater, hockey ice would be medium hard, for fast puck movement and sharp turns. Figure skating ice would be softer, allowing push off for jumps, and so the ice doesn’t shatter on landing. Curling ice is the softest and warmest of all, for controlled sliding. For speedskating ice to be just right, it must be hard, cold and clean. And very, very smooth.

In the pursuit of maximum glide and minimum friction for the speedskaing ice, Olympic officials brought on ice master Mark Messer, a veteran of six previous Olympic speedskating tracks and the ice technician in charge of the Olympic Oval in Calgary, Canada — one of the fastest tracks in the world with over 300 records.

Key Olympic dates to know

The competition runs Feb. 4-22. Here are some of the big days to mark on your calendar: 

1. Feb. 7: First gold medal events, starting with men’s Alpine skiing downhill

2. Feb. 8: Gold medal, women’s Alpine skiing downhill

3. Feb. 13: Gold medal, men’s figure skating

4. Feb. 18: Gold medal, women’s Alpine skiing slalom

5. Feb. 19: Gold medal, women’s figure skating. Gold medal game, women’s ice hockey. First gold medals in ski mountaineering

6. Feb. 22: Gold medal game, men’s ice hockey. Closing ceremony

Ski mountaineering makes its debut

There are 16 sports in all, and 116 gold medals are waiting to be awarded.

Ski mountaineering will make its Olympic debut, while skeleton has added a mixed team event, luge has added women’s doubles and large hill ski jumping added women’s and men’s super team events.

Snow shovel and security checks at Predazzo

Italian security forces, dressed in specially designed winter jackets, are preparing the venue for the Olympic opening ceremony at the ski jump venue in the Dolomite mountains.

Police sniffer dogs, paramedics hauling stretchers on skis and army personnel have been deployed across the site, around two hours before the ceremony is due to begin at Pedrazzo in northern Italy.

Armed police officers — one equipped with an anti-drone gun — have been carrying out final security checks, with dogs sweeping the seating areas ahead of the event.

Meanwhile, army personnel carrying heavy shovels are helping out, clearing snow and filling puddles with gravel as final preparations continue.

Geography of the games and ceremony

This will be the most spread-out Winter Games in history.

The two primary competition sites are the city of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, the winter resort in the Dolomites that is more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) away by road. Athletes will also compete in three other mountain clusters besides Cortina. The closing ceremony will be in Verona, 160 km (100 miles) east of Milan.

The opening ceremony is likewise spread out to allow competitors to participate in the Parade of Athletes from their far-flung locations. Images of national teams will be broadcast live to TV and into Milan’s San Siro stadium from Cortina, Predazzo and Livigno – wherever each team has athletes competing.

The AP’s POV

Spectators are starting to file into San Siro stadium. Here’s what it looks like from the perspective of the AP journalists who are inside the stadium.