Mariah Carey, Sabrina Impacciatore, Andrea Bocelli and more kick off the Games

The 2026 Winter Olympics kicked off with a bang in Italy on Friday.

The opening ceremony was held across four cities — San Siro, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Predazzo and Livigno — and began with a dance routine at San Siro Stadium in Milan.

The opener was full of dance routines inspired by Italian history and culture, including a performance that saw three legendary musical composers — Giuseppe Verdi, Gioachino Rossini and Giacomo Puccini — represented by comically large heads.

While Mariah Carey headlined the event, serenading the crowd with a rendition of the iconic Italian song “Nel blu dipinto di blú (Volare),” Italian singer-song writer Laura Pausini sang the Italian national anthem.

The parade of athletes — which was boosted by a lively DJ who was mixing on what appeared to be a booth made of ice — included a whirlwind mix of dancing and colorful ensembles from the 93 countries competing in the Games. Team USA rocked Ralph Lauren ensembles of red, white and blue.

After the parade, the Italian actress Sabrina Impacciatore brought viewers on a ride through the eras of Winter Olympics past, and Italian President Sergio Mattarella declared the official start of the Games. The ceremony was closed out by the tenor Andrea Bocelli, the rapper Ghali and opera singer Cecilia Bartoli. The actress Charlize Theron delivered a message advocating for peace.

For the first time in history, two Olympic cauldrons were lit, for two host cities: Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Scroll below for a full recap of the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony.