Verona Arena Hosts Historic Conclusion to Milan Cortina Winter Olympics’ Diverse Closing Ceremony

The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics concluded on February 22 with a closing ceremony at the Verona Arena, an ancient Roman amphitheater dating back to 30 AD. This historic venue, older than Rome’s Colosseum (completed in 80 AD), hosted the event as part of a unique two-city hosting model that spanned northern Italy’s alpine regions. The ceremony, themed ‘A Night at the Opera,’ blended classical Italian art with modern entertainment, featuring performances by ballet dancer Roberto Bolle, singer Achille Lauro, and DJ Gabry Ponte. The event marked the end of the most geographically dispersed Winter Games in Olympic history, with competitions spread across Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Bormio, Livigno, Val di Fiemme, and Tesero.

The Games, held from February 6–22, featured a record 2,900–3,000 athletes from 92–93 nations, with a total budget of $6.7 billion. The event’s organizational model, which reused existing venues to avoid new construction, will serve as a blueprint for future Games. The 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps will similarly span multiple locations, including Nice and a yet-to-be-announced speedskating venue. The Milan Cortina Paralympics, set for March 6–15, will also take place in Verona, continuing the venue’s role as a cultural and sporting landmark.

The closing ceremony’s relaxed tone contrasted with the opening ceremony in Milan’s San Siro Stadium, which drew over 60,000 spectators. Verona’s 2,000-year-old arena, upgraded with modern amenities like elevators and toilets at a cost of $23 million, hosted around 12,000 spectators for the closing event. The Italian organizing committee praised the venue’s ‘monumental character’ while ensuring accessibility. The ceremony included a somber remembrance of deceased athletes, a tribute to Italian cultural heritage, and the symbolic handover of the Olympic flag to France, the 2030 host nation. Light shows replaced fireworks to protect local wildlife, a decision attributed to environmental concerns.

The Games themselves set several precedents. Ski mountaineering made its Olympic debut, and tropical nations like Brazil secured their first Winter Olympic medals. Norway led the medal table with 18 golds, while Team USA set a national record with 12 golds. Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo won six golds, tying the all-time record for a single Games. The U.S. also broke its own record for gold medals in biathlon and cross-country, with standout performances by Mikaela Shiffrin and Jessie Diggins. Shared medals were awarded in alpine skiing men’s team combined (Austria-Switzerland silver) and women’s giant slalom (Norway-Sweden silver).

During the ceremony, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) handed over the Olympic flag to France, with France’s flag raised alongside Italy’s and Greece’s, symbolizing the transition to the 2030 Games. The decision to exclude Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych from competition due to his helmet featuring political symbolism was also acknowledged. The IOC cited rules prohibiting political statements on the Olympic field of play, though Heraskevych emphasized the helmet’s message of remembrance for athletes killed in Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Sustainable medals, crafted from eco-friendly materials by Italy’s state mint, featured dual semicircles symbolizing Olympic-Paralympic unity. The Milan Cortina Paralympics, scheduled for March 6–15, will also take place in Verona, continuing the venue’s role as a cultural and sporting hub.