With a spectacular Closing Ceremony at the historic Arena of Verona, the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games came to an end on Sunday evening, 22 February.

Italy bid farewell to the Games, which opened on 6 February, in a celebratory atmosphere, as the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Kirsty Coventry, officially declared the Games closed.

“Grazie Italia” – The IOC’s Message

At the ceremony, held in Verona’s open-air Roman amphitheatre, Kirsty Coventry thanked the host nation, saying:
“Grazie Italia per questi Giochi magici! (Thank you, Italy, for these magical Games!)”.

She added:
“Now that we reach the end of these Games, I feel many emotions. A little sadness, yes. But also so much pride and gratitude as I say the following words: Dear friends, I now declare the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games closed.”

The Closing Ceremony, titled “Beauty in Action,” combined artistic performances with sporting symbolism. A highlight was the appearance of renowned Italian ballet dancer Roberto Bolle, who delivered an aerial performance.

From Milan and Cortina to the French Alps

The Games were co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, with events spread across a wide geographic area of northern Italy.

The Olympic flames that had been burning since 6 February in Milan and Cortina were extinguished at the end of the ceremony and will be lit again for the Paralympic Games, scheduled from 6 to 15 March.

The baton now passes to the French Alps, which will host the 2030 Winter Olympic Games, making use of multiple existing sports facilities.

Record Medal Haul and Meloni’s Message

Italy завершed the Games with a record total of 30 medals. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who attended the ceremony in Verona, described the Games as a source of national pride.

In a post on platform X, she wrote:
“The Olympic Games gave us unforgettable emotions and a sense of pride that will remain with Italy for a long time,” adding that the smooth running of the event “brought prestige to the entire nation.”

Tight Security and Protests

The Closing Ceremony took place in the heart of Verona, a city internationally known as the setting of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.

Strict security measures were implemented around the 2,000-year-old Arena, with barriers restricting access and a helicopter monitoring the area.

A few hours before the ceremony, hundreds of citizens demonstrated in Verona, voicing concerns over housing costs and environmental issues linked to hosting the Winter Games.

Medal Table

Norway once again topped the medal table at the Winter Olympic Games, outperforming countries with much larger populations.

The Scandinavian nation won the most gold medals (18) and the most medals overall (41), ahead of the United States, which finished second in both categories (12 gold and 33 total medals). Norway’s 18 gold medals were the most ever won by a single country at a Winter Olympics, while cross-country skiing star Johannes Høsflot Klæbo claimed six gold medals on his own—more than all but seven countries combined at these Games.