Opening Ceremony Takes Place This Friday at San Siro Stadium
The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics are officially getting underway, marking the culmination of years of preparation by athletes and organizers as Italy hosts the Winter Games for the first time in two decades.
The Games officially begin Friday with the opening ceremony and run through Feb. 22, bringing together the world’s top winter athletes across alpine skiing, snowboarding, skating, sliding sports, and more. The ceremony will take place at Milan’s iconic San Siro Stadium and will include the traditional Parade of Nations and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.
Team USA at a Glance
The United States is sending its largest Winter Olympics delegation ever, with 232 athletes representing the Stars and Stripes in Italy. The roster, unveiled last month, includes competitors from 32 states, underscoring the expanding footprint of winter sports across the country.
Nearly 100 athletes (98) are returning Olympians, including seven athletes competing in their fifth Olympic Games. According to the NCAA, 84 members of Team USA are current or former NCAA varsity athletes, accounting for roughly 36% of the roster.
The age range on the team is equally striking. The youngest athlete is 15-year-old freeskier Abby Winterberger, while the oldest is 54-year-old curler Rick Ruohonen, highlighting both the youth movement and longevity within winter sports.
Flag Bearers and Familiar Faces
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced that Frank Del Duca and Erin Jackson will serve as Team USA’s flag bearers during the opening ceremony.
Del Duca, a bobsledder who competed in the 2022 Beijing Games and is considered a pioneer in his discipline, will share the honor with Jackson, the reigning Olympic gold medalist in speed skating from Beijing.
One of the historic milestones at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics comes from Laila Edwards, who will become the first Black woman to compete for Team USA in women’s Olympic ice hockey. The 21-year-old Cleveland Heights, Ohio native began skating at age three before switching to hockey at five, often playing on boys’ teams due to the lack of local girls’ programs.
Another headline-grabbing storyline comes from Lindsey Vonn, who announced she will compete despite suffering a ruptured ACL after crashing in her final downhill race before the Games. Vonn’s decision adds a dramatic chapter to one of the most high-profile careers in U.S. winter sports history.
Opening Ceremony and Global Spotlight
The opening ceremony is expected to blend pageantry with star power. Performances are planned by Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli, but organizers say the heart of the event will be the more than 1,200 volunteers who will help stage the ceremony and welcome the world to Italy.
How to Watch
Fans can stream every event and every medal of the 2026 Winter Olympics on Peacock, which serves as the primary U.S. streaming home for the Games, with additional coverage airing across NBC platforms.
