Verona - The curtain has fallen on the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. In the historic setting of the Verona Arena the solemn ceremony took place on Sunday evening at which the Olympic flames were extinguished in Milan and Cortina. The event was all about Italian culture, opera and music. A special emotional highlight was the procession of the delegations, which concluded with Italy as the host nation. The flag bearers Lisa Vittozzi and Davide Ghiotto were deeply moved by the support of the audience.
Words of praise and handover to France
Kirsty Coventry, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), had words of praise for the organizers in her speech and also thanked Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. She described the Games as „magical“ and emphasized: „You have defined the standard for future editions.“ Giovanni Malagò, President of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Foundation, also drew a positive conclusion and declared the Olympic mission fulfilled: „Promises kept. We are a winning team.“
A central part of the evening was the official handover to the next host country. The Olympic flag was passed from the representatives of the Italian host cities Milan and Cortina to France, where the Games will take place in the „French Alps“ in 2030. The evening was accompanied by music including Achille Lauro, Major Lazer and a performance by star dancer Roberto Bolle.
