2026 Winter Olympics torch relay

Host city	Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
Countries visited	Greece Italy
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

The torch relay (Italian : Il Viaggio della Fiamma Olimpica) for the 2026 Winter Olympics is planned to commence on 26 November 2025 in Olympia, Greece, and conclude on 6 February 2026 in Milan, Italy, coinciding with the opening ceremony at San Siro. ^[1] The routes for both the Olympic and Paralympic torch relays were unveiled by the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 on 26 November 2024, one year before the start of the former. ^[1]

Following the lighting of the Olympic flame in Olympia, a handover ceremony will happen in Athens on 4 December 2025, where the flame will then arrive in Rome and visit all 110 provinces 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 in Naples for Christmas, in Bari for New Year's Eve, and in Cortina d'Ampezzo on 26 January to commemorate 70 years since it hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics. ^[1] While the torch is in Piedmont, a tribute is planned for skier Matilde Lorenzi, who died while training in October 2024. ^[3] The torch relay plans to showcase many of the World Heritage Sites in the country. ^[1] On 29 November 2024, Italian comedy trio Gli Autogol  [ it ] were announced as official narrators for the torch relay. ^[4]

Torch and torchbearers

See also: List of Olympic torch designs

The design of the torch was unveiled on 14 April at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, as well as simultaneously at Milan's Triennale; Osaka and Milan are twin cities. ^{[5] [6]} The Olympic torch, which was designed by Carlo 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 a renewable liquefied petroleum gas primarily made 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 skier AJ Ginnis has been selected by the Hellenic Olympic Committee to be the first torchbearer once the flame has been lit in Olympia, ^[9] while water polo player Eleni Xenaki is set to be the last torchbearer for the Greek leg. ^[10] Torchbearers who have been announced for the Italian leg include singer Achille Lauro, tennis players Flavia Pennetta and Jasmine Paolini, motorcycle racer Francesco Bagnaia, sport shooter Abhinav Bindra, filmmaker Giuseppe Tornatore, actress Alessandra Mastronardi, footballer Cristiana Girelli, and football coach Andrea 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 group Gli Autogol  [ it ], content creator Tommaso Cassissa  [ it ], and actress Ludovica Gargari  [ it ]. ^[15]

Stops in Greece

The flame will be lit on 26 November 2025. As per tradition, the lighting ceremony will take place at the Temple of Hera in Olympia using a parabolic 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 the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens for the handover ceremony on 4 December. ^[18]

Olympia

Kalavryta

Karpenisi

Metsovo

Kastoria

Naousa

Thessaloniki

Lamia

Athens

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Main stops on the Greek leg of the 2026 Winter Olympics torch relay

Olympic torch relay route in Greece ^[18]

Day	Date (2025)	Stops
1	26 Nov	Olympia Pyrgos Amaliada Ancient Elis Lampeia Kalavryta
2	27 Nov	Kalavryta Patras Rio–Antirrio Bridge Agrinio Karpenisi
3	28 Nov	Karpenisi Karditsa Mouzaki Pyli Metsovo
4	29 Nov	Metsovo Grevena Kozani Ptolemaida Argos Orestiko Kastoria
5	30 Nov	Kastoria Florina Agios Athanasios Edessa Skydra Naousa
6	1 Dec	Naousa Giannitsa Serres Drama Thessaloniki Olympic Museum Thessaloniki
7	2 Dec	Thessaloniki Elassona Portaria (Pelion) Lamia
8	3 Dec	Lamia Arachova Livadeia Kifissia Marousi Hellenic Olympic Committee (Chalandri) Peristeri Aigaleo Kallithea Nea Smyrni Acropolis
9	4 Dec	Acropolis Syntagma Square Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens Athens City Hall  [ el ] Omonoia Square Old Parliament House Academy of Athens National and Kapodistrian University of Athens National Archaeological Museum Pedion Areos Athens Concert Hall National Gallery Panathenaic Stadium

Stops in Italy

The flame is scheduled to arrive at Rome's Quirinal Palace on 4 December 2025. ^{[2] [19]} The relay through the country will start two days later from the Stadio dei Marmi and travel through several regions including Tuscany before visiting the islands of Sardinia and Sicily and then returning to the mainland. ^{[3] [19]} The route plans to visit all 20 regions of Italy and 110 provinces ^[2] before ending at San Siro for the opening ceremony of the Games. ^[3]

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Stops on the 2026 Winter Olympics torch relay ^{[2] [20]}

Day	Date	Region (where day ends)	Stops
1	6 Dec 2025	Lazio	Rome, Vatican City, Rome
2	7 Dec 2025		Rome, Ostia Antica, Tivoli, Civitavecchia, Tarquinia, Viterbo
3	8 Dec 2025	Umbria	Viterbo, Montefiascone, Rieti, Orvieto, Narni, Cascate delle Marmore, Terni
4	9 Dec 2025		Terni, Todi, Spoleto, Trevi, Foligno, Spello, Assisi, Perugia
5	10 Dec 2025	Tuscany	Perugia, Gubbio, Castiglione del Lago, Città di Castello, Arezzo, Pienza, Montepulciano, Montalcino, Siena
6	11 Dec 2025		Siena, Grosseto, Volterra, San Gimignano, Pontedera, Empoli, Florence
7	12 Dec 2025		Florence, Prato, Montecatini Terme, Pisa, Pistoia, Lucca, Livorno
8	13 Dec 2025	Sardinia	Livorno, Olbia, Sassari, Porto Torres, Stintino, Alghero, Nuoro
9	14 Dec 2025		Nuoro, Oristano, Sanluri, Barumini, Quartu Sant'Elena, Iglesias, Cagliari
10	15 Dec 2025	Sicily	Cagliari, Castelvetrano, Selinunte, Marsala, Trapani, Monreale, Palermo
11	16 Dec 2025		Palermo, Cefalù, Piazza Armerina, Enna, Lampedusa, Caltanissetta, Agrigento
12	17 Dec 2025		Agrigento, Licata, Gela, Caltagirone, Ragusa, Marzamemi, Porto Palo, Noto, Avola, Syracuse
13	18 Dec 2025		Syracuse, Priolo Gargallo, Augusta, Carlentini, Lentini, Nicolosi, Mount Etna, Catania
14	19 Dec 2025	Calabria	Catania, Acireale, Giarre, Riposto, Taormina, Messina, Reggio Calabria
15	20 Dec 2025		Reggio Calabria, Gioia Tauro, Rosarno, Tropea, Vibo Valentia, Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro
16	21 Dec 2025	Campania	Catanzaro, Cosenza, Crotone, Maratea, Paestum, Battipaglia, Bellizzi, Salerno
17	22 Dec 2025		Salerno, Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano, Gragnano, Castellammare di Stabia, Pompei
18	23 Dec 2025		Pompei, Torre Annunziata, Torre del Greco, Ercolano, Portici, Marcianise, Caivano, San Giorgio a Cremano, Caivano, Scampia, Naples
–	24 Dec 2025 25 Dec 2025		Remains in Naples during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
19	26 Dec 2025	Lazio	Naples, Caserta, Minturno, Formia, Gaeta, Sabaudia, San Felice Circeo, Latina
20	27 Dec 2025	Campania	Latina, Sermoneta, Frosinone, Montecassino, Cassino, Pomigliano d'Arco, Telese Terme, Benevento
21	28 Dec 2025	Basilicata	Benevento, Avellino, Melfi, Castel Lagopesole, Rionero in Vulture, Venosa, Filiano, Pietragalla, Potenza
22	29 Dec 2025	Apulia	Potenza, Castelmezzano, Pisticci, Matera, Altamura, Gioia del Colle, Massafra, Crispiano, Taranto
23	30 Dec 2025		Taranto, Nardò, Gallipoli, Presicce-Acquarica, Maglie, Otranto, Lecce
24	31 Dec 2025		Lecce, Brindisi, Ostuni, Cisternino, Alberobello, Monopoli, Polignano a Mare, Bari
25	1 Jan 2026	Molise	Bari, Trani, Castel del Monte, Barletta, Foggia, Termoli, Campobasso
26	2 Jan 2026	Abruzzo	Campobasso, Isernia, Castel di Sangro, Roccaraso, Pescara
27	3 Jan 2026		Pescara, Chieti, Montesilvano, Silvi, Roseto degli Abruzzi, Giulianova, Teramo, Amatrice, L'Aquila
28	4 Jan 2026	Marche	L'Aquila, Rocca Calascio, Ascoli Piceno, San Benedetto del Tronto, Fermo, Civitanova Marche, Macerata, Ancona
29	5 Jan 2026	Emilia-Romagna	Ancona, Jesi, Senigallia, Fano, Gradara, Pesaro, Urbino, Riccione, Rimini
30	6 Jan 2026		Rimini, Cesena, Forlì, Faenza, Imola, Bologna
31	7 Jan 2026		Bologna, Cesenatico, Cervia, Ravenna, Comacchio, Ferrara
32	8 Jan 2026		Ferrara, Maranello, Fiorano Modenese, Sassuolo, Sestola, Modena, Reggio Emilia, Parma
33	9 Jan 2026	Liguria	Parma, Carrara, Massa, Riomaggiore, Manarola, La Spezia, Lavagna, Chiavari, Rapallo, Portofino, Genoa
34	10 Jan 2026	Piedmont	Genoa, Savona, Imperia, Sanremo, Dolceacqua, Ventimiglia, Cuneo
35	11 Jan 2026		Cuneo, Bra, La Morra, Alba, Sestriere, Asti, Moncalieri, Stupinigi, Turin
36	12 Jan 2026	Aosta Valley	Turin, Rivoli, Settimo Torinese, Chivasso, Chatillon, Aosta
37	13 Jan 2026	Piedmont	Aosta, Monte Rosa, Ivrea, Biella, Oropa, Vercelli, Casale Monferrato, Novara
38	14 Jan 2026	Lombardy	Novara, Borgomanero, Gozzano, Verbania, Borromean Islands, Baveno, Stresa, Arona, Varese
39	15 Jan 2026		Varese, Magenta, Abbiategrasso, Vigevano, Mortara, Torre d'Isola, San Martino Siccomario, Voghera, Pavia
40	16 Jan 2026	Emilia-Romagna	Pavia, Voghera, Lodi, Casalpusterlengo, Codogno, Alessandria, Tortona, Piacenza
41	17 Jan 2026	Lombardy	Piacenza, Cremona, Crema, Sarnico, Paratico, Iseo, Brescia
42	18 Jan 2026	Veneto	Brescia, Castiglione delle Stiviere, Desenzano del Garda, Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella, Verona
43	19 Jan 2026	Lombardy	Verona, Villafranca di Verona, Valeggio sul Mincio, Custoza, Isola della Scala, Soave, Asola, Viadana, Suzzara, Mantova, Brescello, Mantua
44	20 Jan 2026	Veneto	Mantua, Nogara, Legnago, Rovigo, Adria, Monselice, Este, Abano Terme, Vicenza
45	21 Jan 2026		Vicenza, Schio, Asiago, Bassano del Grappa, Asolo, Montebelluna, Castelfranco Veneto, Cittadella, Padua
46	22 Jan 2026		Padua, Chioggia, Stra, Treviso, Mestre, Venice
47	23 Jan 2026	Friuli-Venezia Giulia	Venice, Musile di Piave, San Donà di Piave, Jesolo, Concordia Sagittaria, Portogruaro, Caorle, Aquileia, Ronchi dei Legionari, Monfalcone, Trieste
48	24 Jan 2026	Trieste, Tarvisio, Gorizia, Gradisca d'Isonzo, Sagrado, Fogliano Redipuglia, Palmanova, Cividale del Friuli, Udine
49	25 Jan 2026	Veneto	Udine, Pordenone, Borgo Palù, Conegliano, Vittorio Veneto, Valdobbiadene, Feltre, Trichiana, Belluno
50	26 Jan 2026		Belluno, Farra d'Alpago, Ponte nelle Alpi, Vajont, Longarone, Pieve d'Alpago, Valle di Cadore, San Vito di Cadore, Cortina d'Ampezzo
51	27 Jan 2026	Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol	Cortina d'Ampezzo, Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Lake Misurina, Dobbiaco, Villabassa, South Tyrol Arena, Brunico, Rasun di Sotto, Plan de Corones, Bressanone, Bolzano
52	28 Jan 2026		Bolzano, Ortisei, Canazei, Campitello di Fassa, Lago di Carezza, Soraga, Moena, Predazzo, Cavalese
53	29 Jan 2026		Cavalese, Merano, Terlano, Appiano, Caldaro, Baselga di Piné, Mezzocorona, Termeno, Trento
54	30 Jan 2026	Lombardy	Trento, Cles, Lake Tovel, Malè, Croviana, Dimaro Folgarida, Passo del Tonale, Madonna di Campiglio, Ghiacciaio Presena  [ it ], Ponte di Legno, Aprica, Livigno
55	31 Jan 2026		Livigno, Bormio, Valdisotto, Madesimo, Tirano, Sondrio
56	1 Feb 2026		Sondrio, Berbenno di Valtellina, Ronco Briantino, Ardenno, Varenna, Menaggio, Bellagio, Morbegno, Colico, Mandello del Lario, Abbadia Lariana, Lecco
57	2 Feb 2026		Lecco, Grignetta, Villa d'Almè, Ponteranica, Alzano Lombardo, Nembro, Seriate, Bergamo
58	3 Feb 2026		Bergamo, Dalmine, Capriate San Gervasio, Trezzo sull'Adda, Paderno d'Adda, Robbiate, Merate, Crespi d'Adda, Vimercate, Arcore, Lesmo, Seregno, Meda, Cantù, Cernobbio, Como
59	4 Feb 2026		Como, Gallarate, Rho, Busto Arsizio, Castellanza, Legnano, Saronno, Seveso, Desio, Nova Milanese, Muggiò, Lissone, Monza
60	5 Feb 2026		Monza, Milan
61	6 Feb 2026		Milan (opening ceremony at San Siro)

References

1. "Milano Cortina 2026 unveils "Greatest Journey" as Olympic Torch Relay route announced". International Olympic Committee. 26 November 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
2. "The Greatest Journey". International Olympic Committee . Retrieved 28 November 2024.
3. Matar, Daniella (26 November 2024). "Olympic flame for 2026 Milan-Cortina Games will go on 63-day journey across Italy". AP News . Retrieved 28 November 2024.
4. "Gli Autogol racconteranno il Viaggio della Fiamma" (in Italian). International Olympic Committee. 29 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
5. "Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Torch at Expo 2025 Osaka". International Olympic Committee. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
6. "Winter Olympics torch unveiled in joint ceremony in Milan and Osaka". France 24. Agence France-Presse. 14 April 2025. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
7. "Torchbearers: applications open from Sanremo". Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026. 12 February 2025. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
8. "Application process for the Milano Cortina 2026 Torch Relay has begun". Hellenic Olympic Committee. 10 September 2025. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
9. Goh, ZK (19 June 2025). "Alpine skier AJ Ginnis to be first Milano Cortina 2026 torchbearer". International Olympic Committee . Retrieved 25 September 2025.
10. "Hellenic Olympic Committee presents the Ceremonies of the Olympic Flame and Torch Relay in Greece for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games". Hellenic Olympic Committee. 17 October 2025. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
11. "Achille Lauro, Flavia Pennetta and Francesco Bagnaia among the first Torchbearers of Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026". International Olympic Committee. 26 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
12. WTA Staff (24 October 2025). "Paolini selected as a torchbearer for 2026 Winter Olympics". Women's Tennis Association . Retrieved 27 October 2025.
13. "Abhinav Bindra selected as torchbearer for Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics". International Olympic Committee. 22 October 2025. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
14. "Giuseppe Tornatore, Alessandra Mastronardi, Andrea Soncin and Cristiana Girelli will carry the Olympic Flame". International Olympic Committee. 26 October 2025. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
15. "One hundred days to the start of the Olympic Winter Games". International Olympic Committee. 29 October 2025. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
16. Fenton, Caela (26 November 2024). "Plans revealed for Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic torch relay". Canadian Olympic Committee . Retrieved 29 November 2024.
17. "The Olympic Torch Relay in Greece for the Winter Olympic Games "Milano-Cortina 2026"". Hellenic Olympic Committee. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
18. "The Olympic Torch Relay in Greece". International Olympic Committee . Retrieved 23 September 2025.
19. "Milano-Cortina 2026, svelata la torcia olimpica". La Stampa (in Italian). 14 April 2025. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
20. "Stages", Olympic Torch Relay Milano Cortina 2026, olympics.com, retrieved 20 November 2025.

External links

• Official website