Key Highlights
- Curling starts two days before the opening ceremony.
- The XXV Winter Olympic Games will feature 116 medals across various sports.
- Britain’s Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds face tough competition in mixed doubles curling.
- Lindsey Vonn returns to the slopes for her sixth Olympics.
- A new event, men’s team combined alpine skiing, makes its debut.
The Curling Countdown: Two Days Before the Opening Ceremony
Curling starts a day or two before the opening ceremony. You might think this is new, but it’s been a tradition for years. The mixed doubles round-robin gets underway on Day -2, with Britain’s Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds facing tough competition from Magnus Nedregotten and Kristin Skaslien.
Day -1: A Quick Turnaround
Bruce and Jen face Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill at 09:05, then go up against the Czech Republic in the evening session. Meanwhile, snowboarders are mastering increasingly difficult aerial tricks. Japan’s Hiroto Ogiwara landed the first-ever 2340 mute grab (6½ rotations) in competition.
Day 0: The Opening Ceremony
The XXV Winter Olympic Games officially start with a spectacular Opening Ceremony at San Siro Stadium in Milan. Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli are confirmed performers, but there may be some surprises too. Ice hockey gets under way, with the clash between Canada and Finland being the pick of the day.
Figure Skating Team Event
The figure skating team event is a highlight, featuring all four disciplines: men’s and women’s singles and ice dancers. Great Britain will do well to reach the final, while the USA and Japan are favourites.
New Events and Familiar Faces
Day 1 marks the first medals of these Olympics. Freestyle skiing’s women’s slopestyle qualifying features Kirsty Muir and reigning world champion Mathilde Gremaud, alongside China’s Eileen Gu and Italy’s emerging Flora Tabanelli.
The Alpine Skiing Debut
Alpine skiing debuts the men’s team combined event, a new territory for the discipline. Mikaela Shiffrin and Breezy Johnson are expected to challenge in the women’s team combined event.
Curling: A British Challenge
Mixed doubles curling continues on Day 1 with Britain’s Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds facing Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman at 09:05, then Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse of the USA at 13:35. The pair must navigate tough competition to secure their place in the semi-finals.
These Games spread across northern Italy with ceremonies marking the occasion in Predazzo, Livigno, and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The XXV Winter Olympic Games are set for a memorable start on February 6, 2026, with the opening ceremony scheduled at San Siro Stadium.
The XXV Winter Olympic Games: A Spectacular Start
