How the Olympics Opening 2026 Ceremony in Milan Made Herstory

The 2026 Winter Olympics is already one for the history books.

The Milano Cortina Winter Games began on February 6th with a historic moment: an all-female honor guard performed the national anthem at the Olympic Opening Ceremony for the first time ever.

The show opened with over forty models wearing specially designed Giorgio Armani suits in the colors of the Italian flag, walking down a runway at Milan’s San Siro Stadium.

Oh my gosh, when Laura Pausini started singing the Italian national anthem, ‘Il Canto degli Italiani,’ I nearly lost it! The cameras immediately went to Cortina d’Ampezzo, which looked absolutely stunning, and there they were – the incredible all-female honor guard being presented with the Italian flag. It was such a powerful moment, I was completely captivated!

The flag was raised at the same time in Milan and Cortina, marking a historic first: the Games will be co-hosted by two cities.

But that wasn’t the only can’t-miss moment from the Opening Ceremony.

Mariah Carey was the highlight of the night with her performance of Domenico Modugno’s classic song, “Volare.” Wearing a dazzling white gown and feather boa, the Grammy-winning singer performed the Italian favorite before seamlessly moving into her new song, “Nothing Is Impossible,” showcasing her signature high-pitched whistle tones.

Mariah expressed her surprise about performing at the Olympics, telling hosts of The Big Tigger Morning Show last month that she’d be singing in Italian.

The Opening Ceremony also celebrated famous Italian composers like Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, and Gioachino Rossini. A dance performance featured three dancers wearing large masks resembling the composers, paying homage to Italy’s rich musical history.

The Parade of Nations began as always with the Greek athletes leading the way, honoring Greece as the origin of the Olympic Games. Following them, the remaining countries entered the stadium in alphabetical order, based on their names in Italian. Italy, as the host nation, brought up the rear of the parade.

To see all the highlights from the Opening Ceremony, keep reading…

Hola! The Mexican team waves their flags.

A bunch of mates. Team Great Britain waves the Union Jack.

Ready in red. Team Japan reps their county as they walk in the procession.

Auf geht’s! Team Germany enters the arena.

On the move. The Finnish team sport blue and white coats as they make their way into the ceremony.

Ready to compete. Team South Korea makes a grand entrance.

Waving their flag. Team Albania walks in from outside the stadium.

Getting the crowd hyped up. The athletes from down under don’t hold back on their team spirit.

The Brazil athletes rep their country, even on the inner lining of their coats.

Marching in. The Czechian athletes enter the arena.

Austrian athletes make their way into the ceremony.

As the ceremony continues, county’s begin to file in.

A singer enters to perform the Italian national anthem.

After the rings made their grand entrance, two acrobats floated from them to perform a routine.

The Olympics rings descend from the sky to celebrate the winter games

As a huge Armani fan, I was captivated by the recent show! It was amazing to see models like Vittoria Ceretti – you might know her as Leonardo DiCaprio’s girlfriend – walking the runway in suits designed to look like the Italian flag. It was such a striking and patriotic statement!

An opera singer takes the stage to give an homage to the arts.

Three performers, each wearing a mask of a famous Italian composer – Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, and Gioachino Rossini – are standing on stage in a peaceful scene.

Mariah Carey takes the stage to perform “Volare” and her song “Nothing is Impossible.”

The Grammy winner hits her famous whistle note while singing.

A stunning visual celebrates Italy’s rich artistic heritage: three paint tubes hang from above as performers below arrange themselves in a rainbow shape.