2026 Winter Olympics Conclude with Spectacular Closing Ceremony in Verona

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games came to a close with a grand ceremony at the historic Arena di Verona, marking the end of more than two weeks of world-class competition across northern Italy.

The closing ceremony, lasting about two and a half hours, was themed Beauty in Action, blending sport with Italian music, opera, and dance traditions.

Highlights included performances by internationally renowned ballet dancer Roberto Bolle, singer Achille Lauro, and DJ Gabry Ponte.

The historic Arena di Verona, a first-century Roman amphitheatre originally built for gladiator contests, served as a stunning backdrop for the event.

The UNESCO-listed venue is now famous for major cultural performances, including summer opera festivals.

Athletes Parade in Celebration

Around 1,500 athletes paraded behind flag bearers representing 92 countries.

Host nation representatives included biathlete Lisa Vittozzi and speed skater Davide Ghiotto, while gold medallists like U.S. hockey player Hilary Knight and ice dancer Evan Bates also carried national flags.

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The United States fielded its largest Winter Olympic delegation ever, with 232 athletes competing across all 16 sports disciplines.

The team set a national record by winning 12 gold medals at a single Winter Games.

U.S. Olympic officials credited the success to “long-term investment in winter sports, teamwork and competitive resilience.”

Remembrance Segment Honors Fallen Athletes

The ceremony included a poignant remembrance segment using butterfly imagery to honor athletes who have died.

Earlier in the Games, Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych was removed from competition after refusing to remove a helmet design commemorating athletes killed in the war in Ukraine.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry later stated, “We respect the remembrance message but must enforce regulations governing the field of play.”

Flag Handover to France for 2030 Winter Games

A central moment of the ceremony was the Olympic flag handover to representatives of the French Alps 2030 Winter Olympics.

The French national flag was raised, accompanied by the national anthem, symbolizing the transition of Olympic hosting responsibilities.

Milano-Cortina Games Leave Lasting Legacy

The Milano-Cortina Games were staged across a vast alpine and urban region covering roughly 8,500 square miles.

Events ranged from Milan’s ice sport venues to biathlon competitions in Anterselva, near the Austrian border, with additional competitions in Valtellina near Switzerland and Val di Fiemme north of Verona.

Organizers highlighted that the multi-location model helped limit construction costs and could shape future Olympic planning.

A total of 116 medal events were contested across eight sports and 16 disciplines, including the Olympic debut of ski mountaineering.

Host nation Italy achieved its highest Winter Olympic medal tally ever with 30 medals-10 gold, six silver, and 14 bronze surpassing the previous record of 20 set at Lillehammer in 1994.

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Giovanni Malagò, president of the Milan Cortina Foundation, praised the Italian athletes,

“Your outstanding performance united Italians everywhere and played a fundamental role in the success of the games.”

Looking Ahead to 2030 and Beyond

The 2026 Paralympic Winter Games are scheduled to open in Verona on  March 6, 2026 and run until March 15 ,2026.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry concluded the ceremony by congratulating local organizers,

“You delivered a new kind of winter games and you set a new, very high standard for the future.”

The next Winter Games in 2030 will be held in France, following the spread-out model, with alpine and Mediterranean events and potential speed skating venues in Italy or the Netherlands.

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2026 winter olympics closing ceremony
PHOTO/AP