Milano Cortina 2026 unveils torch route and time at Palazzo della Gran Guardia, Verona, Italy on Nov 26, 2024. [Photo/Agencies]
GENEVA - Milano Cortina 2026 announced the time and routes of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games torch relays on Tuesday, as two different itineraries will celebrate the passion and spirit of the host nation.
The Olympic torch relay will start from Rome on Dec 6, 2025, and will end at the San Siro Stadium in Milan on Feb 6, 2026, the day of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics. It is a 63-day journey which will go across 60 cities in Italy and cover 12,000 kilometers.
The Paralympic torch relay will start on Feb 24, 2026, covering 2,000 kilometers before it ends on March 6.
The Olympic flame will be lit in Olympia, Greece on Nov 26, 2025, and the Paralympic flame will be lit at Stoke Mandeville, Britain on Feb 24, 2026.
"The Olympic flame and the Paralympic flame will ignite the passion of Italy and Italians for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, engaging new generations and inspiring them with the principles of sport," read the statement.
"Every step of these greatest journeys through our cities will become a moment of celebration and reflection, reminding us of the power of sport to build bridges and break down barriers," said Giovanni Malago, president of Milano Cortina 2026. "When the flames travel through our streets, they will touch millions with a unique and unforgettable warmth: the kind only sport can convey."
