| Host city | Milan andCortina d'Ampezzo, Italy |
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| Countries visited |
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| 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 |
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| Part of a series on |
| 2026 Winter Olympics |
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Thetorch relay (Italian:Il Viaggio della Fiamma Olimpica) for the2026 Winter Olympics began on 26 November 2025 inOlympia, Greece, and concluded 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 took place inAthens on 4 December 2025. The flame then arrived inRome and visited 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 visit everyWorld Heritage Site in the country.[4] On 29 November 2024, Italian comedy trioGli Autogol [it] were announced as official narrators for the torch relay.[5]
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.[6][7] 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.[7]
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][8] and on 10 September 2025 for the Greek leg.[9] RowerPetros Gkaidatzis was the first torchbearer once the flame was lit inOlympia; alpine skierAJ Ginnis had originally been selected by theHellenic Olympic Committee,[10] but was unable to participate due to injury.[11] Water polo playerEleni Xenaki was the last torchbearer for the Greek leg.[12]
Torchbearers who have been announced for the Italian leg include singer sport shooterAbhinav Bindra and footballersCristiana Girelli andZlatan Ibrahimović.[13][14][15] In addition, the digital ambassadors for the Games will also serve as torchbearers, including actressLudovica Gargari [it].[16]
The Greek leg was announced on 9 May 2025,[17] involving over 450 torchbearers covering more than 2,200 kilometres (1,400 mi) through 23regional units.[18] The Greek leg will also pass by the country's twelve largest ski resorts for the first time. A total of 36 welcoming ceremonies took place over the nine days before the flame's arrival at thePanathenaic Stadium inAthens for the handover ceremony on 4 December 2025.[18]
The Olympic torch relay began on 26 November 2025 with a ceremony at theArchaeological Museum of Olympia. Original plans to host the ceremony at theStadium at Olympia, as with previous torch relays, were changed due to forecasts of poor weather during the week.[4] The actual lighting took place two days prior on 24 November at theTemple of Hera, using aparabolic mirror to concentrate the rays of the sun.[2][19] The flame was then preserved in a safety lamp until the ceremony, where it was used to light the Olympic torch in the museum.[4] InPatras, the torch made a stop for a ceremony at the former home ofKostis Palamas, lyricist of theOlympic Hymn.[20]
Also due to inclement weather, it was announced that the handover ceremony would be greatly reduced, with the artistic component being cut, and the number of participants limited.[21] The ceremony saw performances byChristina Poulitsi [el] singing the Olympic Hymn,Tassis Christoyannis singing thenational anthem of Italy, andYannis Christopoulos [el] singing thenational anthem of Greece.[22] Water polo playerEleni Xenaki and her teammates lit the cauldron at thePanathenaic Stadium, after whichHellenic Olympic Committee presidentIsidoros Kouvelos [el] handed the torch toFondazione Milano Cortina 2026 presidentGiovanni Malagò. Tennis playerJasmine Paolini was selected as a torchbearer during the ceremony and accompanied the flame on anITA Airways flight, arriving atRome Fiumicino Airport.[23]
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The flame arrived at Rome'sQuirinal Palace on 4 December 2025,[2][38] with the relay through the country starting two days later from theStadio dei Marmi.[3] It travelled through several regions includingTuscany before visiting the islands ofSardinia andSicily and then returning to the mainland.[3][38] The route plans to visit all 20regions of Italy and 110provinces[2] before ending atSan Siro for theopening ceremony of the Games.[3]
On 16 December, the torch reachedLampedusa, the southernmost part of Italy, transported aboard anAgustaWestland AW139 helicopter flown by theItalian Air Force.[39]
