The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics officially opened Friday evening. Spread across Milan, Predazzo, Cortina, and Livigno, the ceremony was eagerly awaitedThe IOC gives a positive assessment. 61,221 tickets were sold at San Siroand another 10.000 on mountain sites.
Christophe Dubi, IOC Executive Director of the Olympic Games, was also impressed by the content of the ceremony, which celebrated the history of the host country with paintings devoted, for example, to fashion and paintinginterspersed with choreography, songs anda dose of self-deprecation, in a sequence where actress Brenda Lodigiani spoke at length with her hands, due to the lack of a working microphone.
« My impression was of an elegant, magnificent, and profoundly Italian ceremony. I found it incredibly powerful., he explained at a press conference. I got goosebumps. It was truly moving. The athletes who compete in mountain events were able to take part in the ceremony and showed how proud they were. » 9,2 million Italians watched the ceremony on Rai, which obtained 46,2% audience share.
Thomas Bach also expressed his praise. It was incredibly moving to see all our efforts bear fruit and demonstrate that we made the right choice seven years ago. The ceremony was simply magnificent and represented Italy at its bestwith its culture, its colours and its passion » the honorary president of the IOC confidedwho has already been able to attend curling, luge and women's downhill alpine skiing events.
