When the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games officially begin Friday, the spotlight won’t only be on athletes. It will also shine on Mariah Carey, whose appearance at the Opening Ceremony places the pop icon at the heart of one of the most unconventional Olympic kickoffs in history.
Carey, a Grammy-winning global superstar, is set to perform during the ceremony, marking a rare crossover moment where Olympic tradition meets pop spectacle. Her involvement underscores the Games’ broader ambition: blending sport, culture and global entertainment across multiple regions rather than a single stage.
The Opening Ceremony begins at 8 p.m. local time Friday (11 a.m. PT in the U.S., airing on NBC and Peacock) and unfolds across northern Italy. The main hub is Milan’s San Siro Stadium, a 76,000-seat venue more often associated with historic football matches than figure skating fanfare. Events will also take place simultaneously in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Livigno and Predazzo, reinforcing the regional identity of these Games.
A Parade That Meets Athletes Where They Compete
Breaking from long-standing Olympic custom, the Parade of Nations will not funnel every delegation into one arena. Instead, athletes will enter at venues closest to their competition sites, a logistical pivot designed to highlight the geographic spread of Milan-Cortina 2026.
As tradition dictates, Greece will lead the procession, while Italy brings it to a close. Countries will appear in alphabetical order based on Italian spelling, adding a subtle local stamp to the ceremony. Team USA will be represented by speed skating champion Erin Jackson and bobsledder Frank Del Duca, who will carry the flag during the parade.
Two Flames, One Moment
Another first arrives with the Olympic cauldron lighting. Milan-Cortina 2026 will debut two identical cauldrons, ignited simultaneously in separate cities. One will rise at Milan’s Arco della Pace, while the other anchors Cortina d’Ampezzo’s Piazza Dibona.
Designed by Italian creative lead Marco Balich, the structures draw inspiration from Leonardo da Vinci’s knot studies and expand outward to echo the rhythm of daylight. Built from aeronautical aluminum, the cauldrons emphasize motion rather than monumentality, reflecting the Games’ emphasis on connection across regions.
Mariah Carey and the Sound of the Games
Carey’s performance anchors the ceremony’s musical programming, placing her alongside Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. Their inclusion bridges global pop with classical Italian tradition, a pairing that mirrors the ceremony’s larger theme of harmony.
Additional contributions will come from actor Sabrina Impacciatore and pianist Lang Lang, adding cinematic and orchestral texture to the night. Still, Carey’s presence is expected to be a defining moment, one that positions the Olympics not just as a sporting event, but as a cultural broadcast with worldwide resonance.
A Measured Response to Paris’ Bold Experiment
Following the conversation-sparking Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, which unfolded along the River Seine and sparked global debate, Milan-Cortina’s approach is notably more restrained. Balich, whose résumé includes ceremonies in Turin, Sochi and Rio, has described the 2026 vision as rooted in authenticity rather than provocation.
The result is a ceremony that leans on design, music and symbolism, with Carey’s performance serving as its most contemporary flourish.
As the Olympic flame is lit and the Games officially begin, Milan-Cortina 2026 positions itself as a showcase of Italian artistry, with Mariah Carey providing the voice that carries it to the world.
