As the 2026 Winter Olympics opened, nearly 3,000 athletes marched into the stadium for the Parade of Nations, wearing their national uniforms and led by chosen flagbearers. Team USA’s flagbearers were speedskater Erin Jackson and bobsledder Frank Del Duca. The ceremony concluded with the lighting of two Olympic cauldrons—one in Milan and one in Cortina.
How the order was decided
Greece traditionally leads the Parade of Nations, honoring its role as the birthplace of the Olympic Games. After Greece, delegations enter in alphabetical order according to the host country’s language. For Milano Cortina 2026 that meant the procession followed the Italian alphabet: for example, Japan (Giappone) came before Hungary (Ungheria), even though the English order is different. The host nation always enters last, and the next host nation enters second-to-last; because the 2030 Winter Games will be in the French Alps, France preceded Italy in the lineup.
Exceptions and special designations
Some editions of the Games include special teams, such as the Olympic Refugee Team, but there was no Olympic Refugee Team in Milano Cortina 2026. Athletes designated as Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN)—the status applied to certain competitors from Russia and Belarus—were not part of the opening ceremony parade, per the International Olympic Committee’s arrangements.
How many delegations marched
The parade is formally a procession of National Olympic Committees (NOCs). There are 206 NOCs in the Olympic movement overall, but far fewer typically compete at Winter Games—usually around 90. Milano Cortina 2026 expected about 92 participating NOCs.
A brief history
The Parade of Nations dates to the 1908 London Games and has become a central, symbolic element of opening ceremonies. The practice of Greece entering first became established in 1928. Over the decades the procession has evolved: in the 1920s athletes sometimes carried equipment like skis and skates, a practice that faded; the number and diversity of participating countries has grown; and winter opening ceremonies differ from summer ones because athletes are more heavily dressed and winter programs include fewer sports and competitors.
Participation is voluntary
Athletes are invited but not required to take part in the parade. Many skip it because the ceremony can be long, physically tiring, and often occurs shortly before competition. Still, for many athletes the Parade of Nations and the opening ceremony are highlights—moments of shared pride and camaraderie and powerful reminders of representing one’s country on a global stage, as staff at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum have noted.