Summary of the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony
USAT’s Jordan Mendoza and Sydney Henderson report from outside the opening ceremony in Milan, telling you about the best moments and what you might have missed.
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MILAN — Mona Lisa. People dressed as coffee makers. Mariah Carey. Happy toast. Big boos.
It’s true that the Olympic Opening Ceremony is a made-for-television extravaganza that aims to wow viewers around the world from start to finish.
But as spectacular as it is to see it in person, and even better, you get to capture things you couldn’t see on the broadcast. Luckily, USA TODAY Sports was able to get a glimpse of the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony from the scene, capturing the live-action art that was on display throughout the night.
The opening ceremony began at 2pm ET on Friday, February 6th, but the festivities began 30 minutes earlier inside Milan’s San Siro Olympic Stadium, with a pre-show DJ and host teaching the crowd the show’s dance moves. The crowd did their own thing, giving off a classic European soccer atmosphere in a stadium known for European soccer.
While it may have looked packed during the show with people braving the cold outdoor conditions, it wasn’t completely full, with empty seats noticeable in the upper northeast and east sides of the stadium.
The colorful early sequences certainly brightened up the show from the jump, but a closer look at who created the rainbow palette reveals that they’re all iconic Italian figures. There were also people dressed like ancient Romans, a bakery, the Mona Lisa, and a coffee maker that paid homage to Italian design.
This resulted in Mariah Carey’s long-awaited performance. Even though I knew Carey was making her way to the center of the stage, I didn’t notice her snail’s pace coming out of the corner of the stadium. Her Italian singing was impressive and having a screen to pronounce the words certainly helped.
Then came the hilarious ending, with Carrie just standing there waiting as the staff sprinted to the center of the stage. In its infancy, it was a slow journey for the artist.
As the Olympic protocols began in Milan-Cortina, the crowd made it clear how much they respected Italian President Sergio Mattarella. His appearance in the introductory video drew loud cheers every time he was shown, and legendary Italian racer Valentino Rossi received a similar reception.
The athletes’ parade was as dazzling as it was on TV, with Olympic fireworks lighting up the entire stadium. Although the Olympians’ introductions were different as athletes were spread across regions, each country garnered a wide range of responses regardless of the number or absence of athletes in attendance.
Naturally, the home crowd gave Italy a rapturous ovation at the end of the match, but some of their neighbors received some extra love earlier. Countries such as Spain, Germany and France reacted markedly, but they fell short of the cheers received by Ukraine at the time of its announcement. This was the longest-running cheer ever for another European country.
But there were boos. They were mainly uttered during Israel’s introduction, and were followed by sustained jeers as the country’s actions in the Gaza Strip were heavily criticized.
Another negative reaction was not to the nation, but to someone in the audience. Indeed, the U.S. was well-received by the crowd, but that ended when Vice President J.D. Vance appeared on the stadium screens and the cheers turned to boos. Protests have erupted in Milan over the Trump administration’s use of ICE in the United States and its participation in the Olympics.
Events were still being held in Milan, but crowds began to dwindle in Livigno and Cortina as spectators lasted more than an hour in frigid temperatures.
Athletes were scheduled to watch the second half of the opening ceremony, but that doesn’t mean they will remain seated. Some Olympians stood up and interacted with each other, sometimes going to other sections or walking around.
But all eyes were on the ending sequence where the Olympic cauldron was lit, lighting up the stadiums as the flames blazed in Milan and Cortina.
The festivities didn’t end there either. As the stadium began to empty, players remained on stage to take team photos and photos with other countries. Olympic staff were able to take photos and meet the athletes.
A wholesome ending that perfectly embodies the Olympic spirit and officially begins the Olympics.
Contributor: Gentry Estes
