| Host city | Milan andCortina d'Ampezzo, Italy |
|---|---|
| Countries visited |
|
| Distance | 12,000 kilometres (7,500 mi) |
| Torchbearers | 10,001 |
| Theme | The Greatest Journey |
| Start date | 26 November 2025 (2025-11-26) |
| End date | 6 February 2026 (2026-02-06) |
| Torch designer | Carlo Ratti Associati |
 |
| Part of a series on |
| 2026 Winter Olympics |
|---|
|
Thetorch relay (Italian:Il Viaggio della Fiamma Olimpica, Greek:Ολυμπιακή Λαμπαδηδρομία) for the2026 Winter Olympics is planned to commence on 26 November 2025 inOlympia, Greece, and conclude on 6 February 2026 inMilan, Italy, coinciding with theopening ceremony atSan Siro.[1] The routes for both the Olympic andParalympic torch relays were unveiled by theFondazione Milano Cortina 2026 on 26 November 2024, one year before the start of the former.[1]
Following the lighting of theOlympic flame in Olympia, a handover ceremony will happen inAthens on 4 December 2025, where the flame will then arrive inRome and visit all 110provinces of Italy, making 60 stops over 63 days across 12,000 kilometres (7,500 mi) and involving 10,001 torchbearers.[1][2] The torch will be inNaples forChristmas, inBari forNew Year's Eve, and inCortina d'Ampezzo on 26 January to commemorate 70 years since it hosted the1956 Winter Olympics.[1] While the torch is inPiedmont, a tribute is planned for skierMatilde Lorenzi, who died while training in October 2024.[3] The torch relay plans to showcase many of theWorld Heritage Sites in the country.[1] On 29 November 2024, Italian comedy trioGli Autogol [it] were announced as official narrators for the torch relay.[4]
The design of the torch was unveiled on 14 April atExpo 2025 inOsaka, Japan, as well as simultaneously at Milan'sTriennale; Osaka and Milan aretwin cities.[5][6] The Olympic torch, which was designed byCarlo Ratti Associati, is light blue, shaped like a flute, and weighs 1,060 grams (37 oz). Made from recycled aluminium, it was designed to be refillable and runs on arenewableliquefied petroleum gas primarilymade from waste.[6]
For the torch relay, 10,001 torchbearers are expected to be involved. Applications for torchbearers opened on 12 February 2025 for the Italian leg,[2][7] and on 10 September 2025 for the Greek leg.[8] Alpine skierAJ Ginnis has been selected by theHellenic Olympic Committee to be the first torchbearer once the flame has been lit inOlympia,[9] while water polo playerEleni Xenaki is set to be the last torchbearer for the Greek leg.[10] Torchbearers who have been announced for the Italian leg include singerAchille Lauro, tennis playersFlavia Pennetta andJasmine Paolini, motorcycle racerFrancesco Bagnaia, sport shooterAbhinav Bindra, filmmakerGiuseppe Tornatore, actressAlessandra Mastronardi, footballerCristiana Girelli, and football coachAndrea Soncin.[11][12][13][14] In addition, the digital ambassadors for the Games will also serve as torchbearers; these include the three members of comedy groupGli Autogol [it], content creatorTommaso Cassissa [it], and actressLudovica Gargari [it].[15]
The flame was lited on 26 November 2025. As per tradition, the lighting ceremony will take place at theTemple of Hera inOlympia using aparabolic mirror to concentrate the rays of the sun; the flame will then make its way through the country.[2][16] Announced on 9 May 2025,[17] the torch relay in Greece is scheduled to involve over 450 torchbearers covering more than 2,200 kilometres (1,400 mi) through 23 regional units.[18] The Greek leg will pass by the country's twelve largest ski resorts and a total of 36 welcoming ceremonies will take place over the nine days before the flame's arrival at thePanathenaic Stadium inAthens for the handover ceremony on 4 December.[18]
| Day | Date (2025) | Stops |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 Nov | |
| 2 | 27 Nov | |
| 3 | 28 Nov | |
| 4 | 29 Nov | |
| 5 | 30 Nov | |
| 6 | 1 Dec | |
| 7 | 2 Dec | |
| 8 | 3 Dec | |
| 9 | 4 Dec |
The flame is scheduled to arrive at Rome'sQuirinal Palace on 4 December 2025.[2][19] The relay through the country will start two days later from theStadio dei Marmi and travel through several regions includingTuscany before visiting the islands ofSardinia andSicily and then returning to the mainland.[3][19] The route plans to visit all 20regions of Italy and 110provinces[2] before ending atSan Siro for theopening ceremony of the Games.[3]
