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Italy Bids Emotional Farewell as Olympic Torch Passes to France After Milan Cortina 2026
The curtain has officially fallen on the 2026 Winter Olympics, as Italy delivered a spectacular closing ceremony in Verona and passed the Olympic torch to France for the 2030 Winter Games.
Held inside the historic Verona Arena, the ceremony blended ancient culture, modern performance, and national pride, marking the end of what officials described as the most geographically spread-out Winter Olympics in history.
A Historic Winter Games Comes to a Close
The Milan Cortina Games spanned an extraordinary 22,000 square kilometers across northern Italy — from ice sports in Milan to alpine skiing near the Swiss border and biathlon events close to Austria. In total, 116 medal events were contested across eight sports and 16 disciplines over 17 days.
In her closing remarks, International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry praised organizers for delivering “a new kind of winter Games” and setting a high standard for the future of the Winter Olympics.
The twin Olympic flames in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo were extinguished simultaneously via video link, symbolizing the official end of the 2026 Games.
Italy Celebrates Record Medal Haul
Host nation Italy achieved its most successful Winter Olympics ever, finishing with 30 medals — including 10 gold. The tally surpassed its previous record set at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway.
Giovanni Malagò, president of the Milan Cortina Foundation, credited Italian athletes with uniting the country and elevating the Games on the global stage.
The final medals — awarded in the grueling 50-kilometer cross-country mass start — were presented inside the Arena just hours before the ceremony began, giving the event a dramatic, real-time finale.
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A Celebration of Italian Culture
The two-and-a-half-hour closing ceremony paid tribute to Italy’s artistic legacy. Opera classics such as “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici” from La Traviata echoed through the ancient amphitheater, honoring Verona’s reputation as a world-famous opera venue.
Italian pop culture also took center stage, with performances by singer Achille Lauro, who closed the night with “Incoscienti Giovani,” and DJ Gabry Ponte, whose high-energy set brought athletes to their feet.
Internationally acclaimed dancer Roberto Bolle delivered a stunning aerial ballet performance, symbolizing the sun rising over a stylized Venetian lagoon stage complete with gondolas.
A light show replaced fireworks — which are prohibited in Verona to protect animals — creating a visually striking but environmentally mindful finale.
Olympic Torch Passes to France 2030
In the official handover, the Olympic flag was presented to representatives of France, host of the 2030 Winter Olympics. The next Winter Games will adopt a similarly decentralized model, with events staged in the French Alps and the Mediterranean city of Nice.
The 2030 edition is already being positioned as a continuation of the multi-region hosting strategy pioneered by Milan Cortina.
Looking Ahead: Paralympics Up Next
The Olympic spirit will remain in Verona a little longer. The 2026 Winter Paralympics will open at the Verona Arena on March 6 and run through March 15.
As Italy extinguished its twin flames, the message was clear: Milan Cortina 2026 was not just a Winter Games — it was a blueprint for the future of sustainable, regionally connected Olympics.
