UAE Flag Adorns Opening Ceremony of Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games

The UAE flag was raised at the Opening Ceremony of the 26th Winter Olympic Games, hosted by the Italian cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo from 6 to 22 February.

For the first time, the ceremony was staged simultaneously across four principal venues. All athletes took part in the Parade of Nations within their respective competition groups, while flag bearers also marched alongside the same groups, a measure designed to reduce travel time and facilitate athletes’ participation in the Opening Ceremony.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella officially opened the Games during a three-hour ceremony held at San Siro Stadium in Milan. The event highlighted Italy’s history and lifestyle, and featured performances by leading international artists, including Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli.

Behind the scenes of this large-scale production, approximately 1,350 volunteers supported operations on stage, with a further 700 working backstage. Athletes’ parades were also organised simultaneously across Predazzo, Livigno, and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The event was held across four main locations: San Siro Stadium in Milan, the Snow Park in Livigno, central Cortina d’Ampezzo, and the Ski Jumping Stadium in Predazzo.

The ceremony was attended by His Excellency Faris Mohammed Al Mutawa, Secretary General of the United Arab Emirates National Olympic Committee; His Excellency Mohammed bin Darwish, Executive Director of the NOC; and His Excellency Hamel Al Qubaisi, Vice President of the UAE Winter Sports Federation.

The United Arab Emirates is represented at the Games by Alexander Astridge and Piera Hudson, competing in Alpine skiing events held over three days as part of the official competition schedule.

This edition features approximately 2,900 elite athletes from around the world, contesting 114 medal events across eight sports and 16 disciplines.

His Excellency Faris Mohammed Al Mutawa described the participation as historic, marking the UAE’s first appearance at a Winter Olympic Games. He said the NOC takes pride in the athletes who have worked diligently over recent years and demonstrated strong commitment and perseverance, earning their place at this prestigious stage on merit.

He added: “This participation represents a genuine starting point for the UAE’s Winter Olympic journey and reflects the ongoing efforts of the United Arab Emirates National Olympic Committee, in cooperation with the UAE Winter Sports Federation, under an integrated strategy focused on preparation and readiness for upcoming Olympic commitments. We are confident in our athletes’ ability to represent the nation with distinction on the global stage.”

His Excellency Hamel Al Qubaisi said: “We are honoured to take part in the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. This event provides an important platform to strengthen winter sports in the UAE and encourage young people to participate. We remain committed to providing athletes and emerging talents with the highest levels of technical support and expertise, while expanding their presence at the international level in a manner that reflects the values of sport, cooperation and excellence.”

Italy is hosting the Winter Olympic Games for the third time in its history, following Cortina d’Ampezzo’s staging of the 1956 edition and Turin’s organisation of the 2006 Games.

The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games is set to be the most gender-balanced edition in Winter Olympic history, with an expanded programme for women’s competitions. Approximately 1,362 quota places have been allocated to female athletes compared with 1,538 for male athletes, out of a total of 2,900, with 50 women’s medal events included in the programme.