Olympics: The numbers behind the Milano Cortina Opening Ceremony
With ten days to go, the Opening Ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games - scheduled for February 6 at the San Siro Stadium - promises to be one of the most spectacular events in the history of Olympic Games, Agenzia Nova reported.
For the first time, the ceremony will be staged across multiple venues, making it a truly global event. This collaborative project involves thousands of participants and showcases exceptional artistic, technical, and organizational expertise.
An extraordinary lineup of international stars is expected to perform at the ceremony, including Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini, Pierfrancesco Favino, Sabrina Impacciatore, Matilde De Angelis, Ghali, Cecilia Bartoli, Lang Lang, and many others.
More than 1,300 cast members from 27 countries will take part, supported by over 950 staff across operational hubs. The musical program features over 500 musicians who composed the original soundtrack, while preparations required more than 700 hours of rehearsals in Milan, Cortina, Livigno, Predazzo, and Arco della Pace.
Costume and design work was equally ambitious: 182 original designs, over 1,400 costumes, 1,500 pairs of shoes, and 7,500 meters of fabric, with contributions from 110 makeup artists and 70 hair stylists, alongside more than 1,000 stage props.
A symbolic highlight will be the lighting of two Olympic Braziers - simultaneously in Milan and Cortina - for the first time. These complex structures consist of 4.5 tons of metal, 1,440 connection components, and 1,000 meters of dynamic LEDs.
These impressive figures reflect the scale of an event designed to combine spectacle, innovation, and collective participation. The ceremony is set to leave an indelible mark on Olympic history, presenting Italy as a nation of creativity, vision, and organizational excellence on the global stage.
Earlier, it was reported that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents would support the American delegation's security at the upcoming 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
