On a night when nationalism was on full display, Ukraine’s athlete contingent drew considerable applause from the Milan crowd, who were each given light-up wristbands to make the stadium glow. Aerial actors perform during the opening ceremony at Milan’s San Siro Stadium. The American athlete contingent walks along the Corso Italia in Cortina d’Ampezzo during Friday’s opening ceremony. And with that, the Olympic opening ceremony, one of the grandest events the modern world stages, evolved into a collection of high school homecoming parades. “It’s wonderful, honestly,” said Daniel Morandini, who showed up to the opening ceremony with his girlfriend before running into a few friends.

Source: International New York Times February 07, 2026 11:52 UTC