Organizers of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics say the opening ceremony will be a tribute to Italy's values and cultural heritage as well as the Olympic spirit. 

Details of the opening event were unveiled at a press conference in Milan attended by the President and CEO of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, alongside the creative team. 

The opening ceremony will be held in Milan's historic San Siro Stadium on February 6 and the theme of the event will be "harmony".

The Director of Ceremonies Maria-Laura Iascone says it will reflect Italian excellence in its various forms.  

"Armonia is a simple yet powerful word," she said. "It is the key that allows us to intertwine different languages – artistic, visual, and human – and transform them into a collective experience. It will be a story that moves and inspires, where every gesture and image will be part of a shared design."

The ceremony will also feature a tribute to the late fashion designer Giorgio Armani, who recently passed away. 

The President of the Milano Cortina Foundation 2026, Giovanni Magalo, said the opening ceremony would reflect the Games' unique concept of "diffusion", where events will be held across several different areas.  

"In these Games, the mountains will speak to the cities, people will recognize themselves in shared values, and Italy will show its ability to unite, welcome and inspire. The opening ceremony will be the first great global embrace of Milano Cortina 2026."

There are many events to look forward to before the opening ceremony. 

On December 4 the Olympic torch will officially arrive in Rome, and the torch relay will start on December 6.

The torch will travel 12,000km and stop in 60 different cities. 

It will arrive in Coritna on January 26, exactly 70 years after the opening ceremony of Italy's first ever Winter Olympics in 1956.

The torch will then complete its journey in Milan. The closing ceremony will be held in Verona, at the ancient arena. 

The Milano Cortina games will officially start on February 6 and last for 16 days. Italy is ready.