An unprecedented four-site, dual-cauldron Winter Olympics opening ceremony replete with references to Italian icons and culture — plus American pop diva Mariah Carey — was scheduled to officially start the Milan Cortina Games on Friday as the sports spectacle returns to a nation that last hosted the event 20 years ago.

The 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony is just days away. Here's what to know ahead of the start to the Milano Cortina Games:

Training and practice sessions were underway a day ahead of the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics as mixed doubles curling round robin play and preliminary round women's ice hockey matches began.

On the 4th, local time, at the Olympic Curling Stadium in Cortina, northern Italy, four first-round mixed doubles curling preliminary matches took place simultaneously, heralding the start of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics,

Final preparations are in full swing ahead of the official opening of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday, with several preliminary and qualification events, including ice hockey and curling,

As the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics approach, final preparations are underway across northern Italy, with athletes and tourists alike embracing the Olympic spirit.