Celebrating 50 years of the Winter Paralympic Games, the Opening Ceremony gets the 2026 Milan Cortina Paralympics started on Friday.

Set in the historic Arena di Verona, which dates to the 1st century B.C., the 2026 Milan Cortina Paralympic Opening Ceremony is set to a theme of "Life in Motion," emphasizing the Paralympic spirit as dynamic and in constant evolution.

For the first time in Paralympic history, two flames will be lit — one at the Arco della Pace in Milan, and one Piazza Dibona in Cortina d’Ampezzo, each celebrating the dual cities of the Paralympic Games. 

The event will stream on Peacock and NBC Olympics platforms. A replay presentation will air on NBC in primetime on Saturday, March 7 at 8:00 p.m. ET. 

Official United States hype man Snoop Dog had three words for the 72 American athletes ahead of Opening Ceremony: “Let’s do this.”

Honoring the 50th anniversary of the Winter Paralympics, which debuted in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, the 2026 Opening Ceremony transported viewers nearly 80 years into the past, showcasing the evolution of the Paralympic movement.

Four-time Paralympic sled hockey champion Josh Pauls and seven-time para Alpine skiing medalist Laurie Stephens led the U.S. delegation through the Parade of Nations in Verona.

Pauls, the most decorated sled hockey player in history, captained the U.S. squad to gold at the last two Paralympic Games. Stephens made her Paralympic debut exactly two decades ago in 2006 — the last Italian-hosted Paralympics.

Across five locations, six sports will be competed at the Milan Cortina Paralympic Games. There will be 79 total medal events, with over 600 athletes taking part. This is the 50th Winter Paralympics, and more than 50 national delegations are present.

The Opening Ceremony for the 2026 Winter Paralympics was designed with a focus on contemporary art, highlighting the evolution of culture, language, technology, music, and more across generations. The celebration took inspiration from several Italian artists, from Leonardo da Vinci, to sculptor Jago, to painter and writer Emilio Isgrò, who created a work on site.

Italian fencing paralympic athlete Bebe Vio lit the Paralympic cauldron, officially opening the 2026 Milan Cortina Games.

The Paralympic Anthem — Hymne de l’Avenir (Anthem of the Future) — is an expression of the movement’s core values: inclusion, dignity, determination, and equality through sport.

First adopted by the International Paralympic Committee in Atlanta in 1996, it was composed by French musician Thierry Darnis, and was performed in Verona by Lina Gervasi (theremin), Samuel Rubino (glass harp), Giordano Bruno Tedeschi, Linda Anzolin, and Matteo Costanzi (Alphorn trio from the GiBIERfest Band. Arrangement of the Paralympic Anthem was by Vittorio Cosma, with orchestration by Stefano Barzan.