The 2026 Winter Olympics concluded on February 22 with a closing ceremony held at Verona Arena, an ancient Roman amphitheater located between the two host cities of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Approximately 1,500 athletes and 12,000 spectators attended the 2.5-hour ceremony, which featured performances celebrating Italian music, dance, and opera, including ballet dancer Roberto Bolle, singer Achille Lauro, and DJ Gabry Ponte.
The Games spanned 17 days and included 116 medal events across eight sports and 16 disciplines, with ski mountaineering making its Olympic debut. Norway topped the medal count with 18 gold medals (41 total), setting a new record for most golds at a single Winter Olympics. The United States finished second with 12 golds (33 total), also a record for Team USA at a Winter Games. The Netherlands placed third with 10 golds (20 total), and host Italy finished fourth with 10 golds (30 total), far exceeding its previous best performance.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry, in her first Games as president, praised the Games as setting "a new, very high standard for the future." The Olympic flag was passed to France, host of the 2030 Winter Games. The ceremony concluded with the extinguishing of twin Olympic flames in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Hours before the ceremony, several hundred protesters marched in Verona against housing costs and environmental concerns related to the Games.
