Olympic flame for Milan Cortina Winter Games handed over in Athens

The Olympic flame for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games was officially handed over to Italian organizers on Thursday at the historic Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, the same venue where the first modern Olympics were held in 1896.

The handover is a key tradition of the Olympic movement. Every edition of the Games begins with the flame being lit in Ancient Olympia, Greece, and then formally passed to the host nation. This exchange marks the host country’s responsibility to safeguard the flame and carry the Olympic spirit until the Games begin. The flame symbolizes peace, unity, and continuity between the ancient and modern Games.

Greece’s Olympic Committee president, Isidoros Kouvelos, presented the flame to Giovanni Malagò, president of the Milan Cortina organizing committee. Calling it a profound moment, Malagò said the flame was “a treasure we will carry home with honor.”

Following the ceremony, the flame will depart for Italy, where it will begin a 12,000-kilometer, 63-day torch relay. The relay will cover all 110 Italian provinces and include 10,000 torchbearers, eventually arriving at Milan’s San Siro Stadium for the opening ceremony on February 6, 2026. This relay traditionally allows the host nation to showcase its culture, landscapes, and people ahead of the Games.

Despite predictions of heavy rain, a small but enthusiastic audience gathered at the stadium to witness cultural performances by Greek and Italian singers and a children’s choir. Greek water polo star Elena Xenaki, along with the women’s national water polo team, carried the flame into the stadium and lit a ceremonial cauldron, marking the official handover.

Italy will be hosting its third Winter Olympics, which will feature 116 medal events, the Olympic debut of ski mountaineering, and the return of NHL(National Hockey League) players to Olympic ice hockey, a highlight for fans worldwide. Organizers have promised improved gender balance across competitions, though preparations have also faced hurdles such as rising costs and construction delays.

A separate flame for the Winter Paralympics, scheduled from March 6-15, 2026, will be lit in Stoke Mandeville Hospital in England, the birthplace of the Paralympic movement.

As the flame begins its journey from Greece to Italy, it serves as a powerful reminder of the values at the heart of the Olympic Games — peace, unity, and the spirit of global friendship.