2026 Olympic Games: Parade of Athletes begins at opening ceremony

How to make a memorable Olympic gap observance

Why are there 2 Olympic cauldrons at Milano-Cortina 2026?

Olympic champions Kingsbury, Thompson named Canada’s flag-bearers

Whistler: The last reliable Winter Olympics host?

Team Canada athletes to watch at Milano Cortina 2026

Sprawling Olympic layout expected to become the norm

Following Olympic protocol, the parade starts with Greece and finishes with the host country. The 92 nations in between will walk in alphabetical order, so it's not long until we see Team Canada — they're 16th on the list, right after Bulgaria.

For the first time, the parade of athletes will take place in four competition venues: Milan, Livigno, Predazzo and Cortina. Athletes are marching in the parade closest to their competition venue.

Following Olympic protocol, the parade starts with Greece and finishes with the host country. The 92 nations in between will walk in alphabetical order, so it's not long until we see Team Canada — they're 16th on the list, right after Bulgaria.

"Take my money, I'd like all three colors," one person wrote on X.

Coming together from two different locations to make something better and whole. Symbolism.

I’m a video producer with the social team in Toronto. My Olympic coverage started back in 2012 with the Games in London. This time around, I’ll have one eye glued to my phone to see what online trends emerge out of this opening ceremony.

Contrary to popular belief, the Queen of Christmas makes appearances outside of December. 

That said, the organizing committee did announce Carey would perform back in December of last year. 

"Mariah Carey fully represents the emotional atmosphere that accompanies the run-up to the Games," the committee said. "Music is a universal language that attracts different stories and sensibilities, and intertwines with the opening ceremony's theme of harmony."

If you look back at past opening and closing ceremonies, it’s not uncommon to fly in international superstars to perform (we’re looking at you, Celine Dion). 

What else do you want to know more about these ceremonies? Send your Olympic questions to ask@cbc.ca.

In the previous century, I competed for Canada in artistic swimming at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Today I’ll be sharing memories, commentary and tidbits about Olympic history. 

It’s been 20 years since Italy last hosted the Winter Olympics. Those took place in 2006 in Turin, a two-hour drive from Milan. 

At those Games the highlight performance at the opening ceremony was Luciano Pavarotti, underneath a lit Olympic cauldron and the biggest chandelier you’ve ever seen, singing Nessun Dorma from Turandot. 

It was so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes. I cry a lot at the Olympics, can’t help myself.

This segment tells the story of the two host cities of these Games and the relationship between the city (Milan) and the mountains (Cortina).

Along with this dance number symbolizing the armonia between Milan and the mountains to its north, we're also seeing live shots of athletes in some of the other hubs where events are taking place. 

This is the most geographically widespread Winter Games, with hundreds of kilometres between some of the event locations. 

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Laura Pausini performs in Milan and a mountain choir performs in Cortina.

Entire sections are clapping along as the opening ceremony show is fully underway. 

A full applause for the first fireworks, but Carey's appearance a few minutes ago got the loudest cheer yet. 

While there are some empty seats, every section of the stadium is is twinkling with LED wristbands. 

Armani, a proud resident of Milan, designed the Italian team's uniforms for several Olympics — including these Games.

"Milan, the Olympics and the Paralympics. I couldn't imagine a more inspiring collaborative project, one that features the city that gave me so much and sport," Armani said in May, a few months before he died at 91. 

"Working for and with Italian athletes is always a pleasure and a great source of pride."

---

---