WINTER SPIRIT: Mariah Carey may have been anointed the “Queen of Christmas,” but she’s soon adding Olympics warm-upper to her resume.
The pop music icon, whose record-breaking banger “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is a mainstay of festive playlists, has been announced as one of the performers at the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.
This marks the first time Carey appears on the Olympics stage and the first international performer to be announced by the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026.
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In a post on Instagram to announce her participation Carey is heard speaking fluent Italian as she invites the audience to attend and watch her performance on Feb. 6 at Milan’s San Siro Stadium.
As reported, the opening ceremony takes place in the titular city as well as at four other locations, including Cortina d’Ampezzo, in sync with the widespread format of this edition of the Games, which will be held at ski resort locations of Predazzo, Bormio and Livigno, all scattered across Northern Italy.
With help from Carey, Milan will surely take the lion’s share of attention with the global streaming of the event from the San Siro Stadium, a 75,000-audience venue in the city. The event will also feature a tribute to the late designer and entrepreneur Giorgio Armani.
Titled “Armonia,” or “Harmony” in English, and inspired by the word’s original Greek meaning of “putting together,” the opening ceremony developed by Balich Wonder Studio is expected to draw additional international and national guests. In addition to Carey, Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 has already announced that Italian actress Matilda De Angelis is to take part in the event.
The ceremony’s setup at San Siro Stadium features a central round stage equipped with LED-screen animations, which is linked to the four corners of the playing field via ramps. Athletes will sit on the fields in a dedicated space flanking the protocol stage.
While not directly affiliated with the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, Dua Lipa has recently been revealed as the star of NBC’s promotional campaign for the Winter Games.
The Winter Olympics will run Feb. 6 to 22, while the Paralympics will run March 6 to 15. The closing ceremony for the Olympics and opening ceremony for the Paralympics will both be held at the Arena di Verona, a two-hour drive from Milan.
As reported, Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 already unveiled the designs for the torch and medals of the upcoming Winter Games.
