Greece's Olympic Team looks to skier Alexandros Ioannis Ginnis for its first medal in the Winter Games starting in the Italian Alps

The 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony officially kicks off the Milano-Cortina Games with performances, the Parade of Nations and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.

Davidson College Visiting Assistant Professor of Classics Allison Smith examines the "distant echoes" of the original Olympic Games and how they compare to the modern global competition. The discussion explores the evolution of the games from a sacred religious sanctuary at Olympia to today's "moving circus" of international host cities.

Everything to know about this cherished tradition.

Every Olympic Games has a torch. Every torch has a designer. For the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, that designer is MIT engineer and architect Carlo Ratti .

Every two years, the world comes together in celebration of the Olympic Games. Established in Greece, the Olympics have been around for thousands of years. While they've evolved over time, one thing has remained the same: The spirit of competition.

Many Olympic venues are left to decay after the events are over. See what these cities have done with the facilities after their games ended.

From musical performances from Mariah Carey to the Parade of Nations, here's what to expect.

While the competition at the Winter Olympics got started on Wednesday, the Opening Ceremony of the Milano-Cortina games will take place this afternoon. In an exhibition known as “Armonia” (Harmony), host country Italy will present a show conceived by Marco Balich,