The Olympic flame for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games was lit today in Ancient Olympia, the historic birthplace of the Olympic Games. The ceremony marks the beginning of the flame’s journey to Italy, where it will arrive on 4 December to travel across the country before the Opening Ceremony on 6 February 2026.
The ceremony, held at the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, was hosted by Isidoros Kouvelos, President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, and attended by distinguished guests including IOC President Kirsty Coventry and President of the Hellenic Republic, Constantine An. Tassoulas.
Due to wet weather forecasts, the flame was initially lit during a rehearsal using the sun’s rays to preserve the purity of the traditional method. The flame was then transferred to the official Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic torch during the ceremony. Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medalist in rowing Petros Gkaidatzis became the first torchbearer of the Greek leg of the relay, passing the flame to two-time Olympic champion Stefania Belmondo and subsequently to fellow double Olympic champion Armin Zoeggeler.
Reflecting on the significance of the occasion, IOC President Kirsty Coventry said:
“We are extremely happy that today’s ceremony reminds us what the Games stand for. They bring people together in peaceful competition, in friendship, and in respect. As we light the Olympic flame for Milano Cortina, we carry this light from the past to the present and into the future - a shared future we all want to see.”
Among other notable attendees were IOC Honorary President Thomas Bach, IOC Members Spyros Capralos and Giovanni Malagò, Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee Chair Kristin Kloster, CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio, Italian Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi, and Olympia Mayor Aristeidis Panagiotopoulos.
Milano Cortina 2026 President Giovanni Malagò highlighted the symbolism of the flame and Italy’s role as host:
“The Italian spirit will shine brightly in the torch, igniting the nation and uniting the world in the shared purpose at the heart of Milano Cortina: using the timeless power of the Olympic Games to create new opportunities for young generations through sport.”
The IIHF, through its President Luc Tardif, welcomed this Olympic tradition:
“Ice hockey, like all Olympic sports, thrives on unity, respect, and passion. The journey of this flame reminds us that sport can bridge nations, inspire youth, and foster a spirit of friendship across borders. We are proud to see the Olympic flame travel toward Italy, carrying these values with it.”
The Torch Relay
Labelled “The Greatest Journey,” the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Torch Relay will traverse all 20 Italian regions and 110 provinces over 63 days, covering 12,000 kilometers and passing 60 World Heritage Sites before reaching Milan for the Opening Ceremony. In line with sustainability goals, the torch will burn bioLPG derived from renewable sources, and each torch can be reused up to ten times.
The flame will now travel across Greece toward Athens for the official handover at the Panathenaic Stadium on 4 December. It will then depart for Italy, spending 5 December in Rome before the Italian relay begins on 6 December.
The tradition of lighting the Olympic Winter Games flame in Ancient Olympia began in 1964 at Innsbruck, embodying the Olympic values of peace, friendship, and unity - values that will shine in Italy as the country prepares to welcome the world once again.
The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games will take place from 6–22 February 2026. The women’s tournament starts on 5 February, and the men’s tournament has its first game on 11 February.
The ceremony, held at the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, was hosted by Isidoros Kouvelos, President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, and attended by distinguished guests including IOC President Kirsty Coventry and President of the Hellenic Republic, Constantine An. Tassoulas.
Due to wet weather forecasts, the flame was initially lit during a rehearsal using the sun’s rays to preserve the purity of the traditional method. The flame was then transferred to the official Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic torch during the ceremony. Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medalist in rowing Petros Gkaidatzis became the first torchbearer of the Greek leg of the relay, passing the flame to two-time Olympic champion Stefania Belmondo and subsequently to fellow double Olympic champion Armin Zoeggeler.
Reflecting on the significance of the occasion, IOC President Kirsty Coventry said:
“We are extremely happy that today’s ceremony reminds us what the Games stand for. They bring people together in peaceful competition, in friendship, and in respect. As we light the Olympic flame for Milano Cortina, we carry this light from the past to the present and into the future - a shared future we all want to see.”
Among other notable attendees were IOC Honorary President Thomas Bach, IOC Members Spyros Capralos and Giovanni Malagò, Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee Chair Kristin Kloster, CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio, Italian Minister of Sport Andrea Abodi, and Olympia Mayor Aristeidis Panagiotopoulos.
Milano Cortina 2026 President Giovanni Malagò highlighted the symbolism of the flame and Italy’s role as host:
“The Italian spirit will shine brightly in the torch, igniting the nation and uniting the world in the shared purpose at the heart of Milano Cortina: using the timeless power of the Olympic Games to create new opportunities for young generations through sport.”
The IIHF, through its President Luc Tardif, welcomed this Olympic tradition:
“Ice hockey, like all Olympic sports, thrives on unity, respect, and passion. The journey of this flame reminds us that sport can bridge nations, inspire youth, and foster a spirit of friendship across borders. We are proud to see the Olympic flame travel toward Italy, carrying these values with it.”
The Torch Relay
Labelled “The Greatest Journey,” the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Torch Relay will traverse all 20 Italian regions and 110 provinces over 63 days, covering 12,000 kilometers and passing 60 World Heritage Sites before reaching Milan for the Opening Ceremony. In line with sustainability goals, the torch will burn bioLPG derived from renewable sources, and each torch can be reused up to ten times.
The flame will now travel across Greece toward Athens for the official handover at the Panathenaic Stadium on 4 December. It will then depart for Italy, spending 5 December in Rome before the Italian relay begins on 6 December.
The tradition of lighting the Olympic Winter Games flame in Ancient Olympia began in 1964 at Innsbruck, embodying the Olympic values of peace, friendship, and unity - values that will shine in Italy as the country prepares to welcome the world once again.
The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games will take place from 6–22 February 2026. The women’s tournament starts on 5 February, and the men’s tournament has its first game on 11 February.