Naturally, the parade of athletes took the longest, and for us the most important moment was when the Serbian delegation was introduced, represented by three competitors. This ceremonial honor belonged to legendary Italian skier Alberto Tomba,

The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics officially get underway on Friday, February 6, with the Opening Ceremony, which features the flag bearers from every participating country making the march alongside the country’s flag and their countrymates who will be

Novak Djokovic is in Italy with his family for the Winter Olympics. He says he has aspirations to play until the 2028 Olympics. Djokovic: “It’s far off, but I have a desire to play until then.” 🔥 pic.twitter.com/tyeAhYlS7r — Danny (@DjokovicFan_) February 7, 2026 He was then asked about the upcoming Summer Olympics, scheduled for LA 2028.

There will be 93 countries, plus numerous athletes from Russia and Belarus, competing at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

There are 206 National Olympic Committees worldwide, which are devised by the IOC and the International Sport Federation. These two organizations are the sole authorities who come together to recognize NOCs for the official Summer and Winter Games.

Here's what to know about the Parade of Nations in the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony and how the country order is determined.