Milan Cortina Olympics Open with Multi-Site Ceremony to Launch Dispersed Winter Games

Milan Cortina, Italy — The Milan Cortina Olympics officially opened Friday with a multi-site ceremony designed to showcase a Winter Games that will be staged across a broad geographic footprint rather than a single host city. Organizers said the format reflects the region’s alpine geography and aims to bring the Olympic spirit to multiple communities.

The ceremony, held simultaneously at several venues, marked the formal start of the Games and underscored the organizing committee’s emphasis on sustainability and local engagement. Details of the performances, participants and schedule of events were not provided in the brief announcement.

The multi-site approach is expected to influence how spectators and athletes experience the Games, with competition clusters spread between Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo and other mountain locations.