Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Flame Ignited in Rome, Kicking Off Italian Relay

Olympic Flame Arrives in Italy, Ignites Preliminary Cauldron

The Olympic flame for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Games was officially lit in a preliminary cauldron at Italy's Quirinale Presidential Palace in Rome on Friday, December 5, 2025. This significant ceremony followed the flame's arrival in the Italian capital from Greece, marking a pivotal moment in the countdown to the upcoming Winter Olympics. The event was attended by prominent figures, including Italian President Sergio Mattarella, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

From Ancient Olympia to the Heart of Rome

The journey of the Olympic flame began on November 26, 2025, with its traditional lighting in Ancient Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. After a nine-day relay across Greece, a formal handover ceremony took place at the historic Panathenaic Stadium in Athens on December 4, 2025. Later that day, the flame, protected within a lantern, arrived at Rome's Fiumicino Airport. It was carried off the aircraft by Italian Olympic tennis champion Jasmine Paolini and Giovanni Malagò, President of the Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee, before being presented to President Mattarella at the Quirinale Palace.

A Symbolic Ceremony at the Presidential Palace

The lighting ceremony at the Quirinale Palace, held in Piazza del Quirinale, saw President Mattarella ignite the celebration cauldron. IOC President Kirsty Coventry emphasized the flame's symbolic power, stating, 'The Olympic flame is arriving to a nation that lives and breathes sport.' She added that the flame 'carries not just the hopes of athletes, but the dreams of all of those who believe in the power of sport.' The event concluded with a spectacular flyover by the Italian Air Force's acrobatic unit, the Frecce Tricolori. Organizers clarified that this was a preliminary cauldron, distinct from the official one that will be lit during the Games' opening ceremony.

The 'Greatest Journey' Across Italy Begins

The lighting in Rome officially ushers in the Italian leg of the Olympic Torch Relay, dubbed 'The Greatest Journey,' which is set to commence on Saturday, December 6, 2025, from Rome's Stadio dei Marmi. Over the next 63 days, the flame will traverse approximately 12,000 kilometers, visiting more than 300 municipalities and all 110 Italian provinces. An estimated 10,001 torchbearers will carry the flame, highlighting Italy's diverse cultural heritage and iconic landmarks, including UNESCO sites. The relay will culminate on February 5, 2026, in Milan, just one day before the official opening of the XXV Winter Olympic Games.

Anticipation Builds for Milan Cortina 2026

The Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are scheduled to take place from February 6 to 22, 2026, with the Opening Ceremony slated for February 6, 2026, at the San Siro Stadium in Milan. This will be the third time Italy has hosted the Winter Games and the fourth Olympic event overall, marking its return to hosting the Olympic flame for the first time in nearly two decades since the 2006 Turin Games. The Paralympic Winter Games will follow from March 6 to 15, 2026.