Overview
- Italian President Sergio Mattarella declared the 2026 Winter Olympics open at San Siro as parallel ceremonies unfolded in Cortina, Predazzo and Livigno, with flames lit at Milan’s Arco della Pace and Cortina’s Piazza Dibona.
- Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini and Lang Lang headlined an Italy‑themed show that paid tribute to Giorgio Armani and Italian opera.
- Authorities deployed about 6,000 police and 2,000 military personnel, and hundreds marched in Milan against the involvement of U.S. immigration agency ICE in security.
- Boos and whistles were heard for Israel’s delegation and when U.S. Vice‑President J.D. Vance appeared on the stadium screens.
- Operational strains persist, with reports of transport delays around Cortina and a not‑full San Siro after organizers struggled to sell the most expensive tickets.