MILANO-CORTINA, ITALY: Fans all around the world are looking forward to the 2026 Winter Olympics at Milano-Cortina in Italy. This event, showcasing winter sports, will bring people together to celebrate sportsmanship, culture, and tradition.
A Redditor started a discussion on Reddit asking, “What do you hope to see done at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony in 2026?”
A few netizens expressed their expectations for the opening ceremony, specifically regarding the availability of proper equipment. One Redditor stated: “Proper country placard bearers. Sorry, I know this is minor, but since Vancouver 2010, none of the games have had proper signage. Maybe Beijing 2022 came close.”
Another Redditor remarked: “A proper Olympic torch. Beijing’s was underwhelming. Doesn’t have to be like Sydney’s, London’s or Paris’s, just enough to be like ‘yip, torch’.”
Moreover, some netizens hoped for a rich display of Italian culture. A Redditor commented: “I hope to see some great Italian artists present their artwork and songs during the Milan opening ceremony.” Another commenter responded: “Italy is full of wonderful singers. Their Sanremo Festival is an example of it.”
One said: “Parade of Nations + seeing the culture of Milan and Cortina represented during the ceremonies,” “Being Italian myself, I want to see a glorious showcase of Italian culture and our history. That is basically what I’m hoping for,” said another. A third added: “I hope they don’t only focus on the cultural aspects that everybody knows about Italy (Colosseum, seaside, sculture and paintings, which will 100% be there) but also focus on the often forgotten Alpine traditions and culture. That would also fit the theme of the Games, and I think that many of us who don’t come from mainstream regions could also relate to it!”
One more netizen remarked about the ticket prices for the event and commented: “I would hope that they make it affordable to buy a ticket, so it is not just the uber wealthy who can enjoy the ceremony!”
Updates on the 2026 Winter Olympics
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed that Russia will be banned from participating in both men’s and women’s hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics. This decision continues the suspension that began in 2022, when Russian and Belarusian teams were barred from international hockey events following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Read more here.
The event will also be the swan song for figure skater Kaori Sakamoto, who plans to end her competitive career after the 2026 Winter Olympics. The athlete revealed that she wishes to stay involved in the figure skating world as a coach. Read more here.