Overview
- Italian President Sergio Mattarella declared the Winter Games open at San Siro, inaugurating the first edition with two Olympic flames lit simultaneously in Milan and Cortina by skiing greats Alberto Tomba, Deborah Compagnoni and Sofia Goggia.
- A decentralized ceremony saw delegations parade from multiple host towns across an unusually broad footprint of roughly 22,000 square kilometers, reflecting the multi-site model of these Games.
- The stadium crowd cheered U.S. athletes but booed Vice President J.D. Vance when his image appeared on the big screens during the opening.
- Protests in Milan over environmental costs, funding priorities and the advisory role of U.S. ICE personnel spilled into confrontations with riot police near the Santa Giulia Arena, with streets blocked and minor injuries reported.
- Competitions are underway across the alpine venues following a high-profile cultural program featuring performances by Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini and Mariah Carey and a peace message delivered by Charlize Theron.