The 2026 Winter Olympics are now officially over as the torch has been passed from Italy to France, who will host the 2030 Winter Games across the French Alps. The Closing Ceremony, which took place in Verona and was themed “Beauty in Action,” showcased Italy’s culture through operatic performances, an aerial ballet and numerous musical numbers.
Just as the Opening Ceremony did, Italy pulled out all the stops in highlighting its many contributions to the world of art, dance and theater. Italian ballet star Roberto Bolle performed a beautiful aerial ballet that was meant to symbolize the water cycle as he was suspended in the air like a falling water droplet. He previously performed at the Winter Olympics 20 years ago to kick off the Turin Games.
In between the many performances, was the parade of athletes, the passing of the Olympic torch and the awarding of the final two Olympic gold medals of the Winter Games.
Here are the highlights and best moments from the 2026 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony.
Hilary Knight & Evan Bates walk in as flag bearers
Fresh off a winning a gold medal for the U.S. women’s hockey team, Knight was one of two flag bearers for the Americans. During the gold-medal match, Knight broke the American women’s record for career goals previously held by Natalie Darwitz and Katie King. In doing so, she also broke the record for most career Olympic points in U.S. women’s hockey history. It was a thrilling comeback win for the women’s hockey team, which rallied from a 1-0 deficit against Canada to win 2-1 in overtime. Knight’s game-tying goal in the third period kept the Americans alive to eventually win in overtime.
Bates won a gold medal in the figure skating team event with the United States, as well as a silver medal in the ice dance competition with partner, and wife, Madison Chock. The duo became just the third American duo to win a silver medal in ice dance, the first since the 2010 Winter Games.
Alysa Liu hints at future plans for skating
Ice skating sensation Alysa Liu was on hand for the closing ceremony, just as joyful as she was the day she won gold in the women’s singles event for the United States. Liu became the first American woman to take home gold in the singles event since 2002, jumping from third to first after a near flawless free skate program that went viral on social media.
Liu became a national treasure as her unique journey to becoming an Olympic gold medalist spoke to so many people. Liu had been competitively skating since the age of 10, and after winning multiple national awards, she announced her retirement at 16 years old. Two years later, though, Liu returned to the sport, vowing to do it her way by picking her own schedule and adhering to a less stringent regimen that is often associated with the sport. She returned in 2024, and the following year she became a world champion. Now, she’s an Olympic gold medalist and stands on top of the ice skating world.
At the Closing Ceremony, Liu was asked about her plans in skating for the future, to which she was enthused about continuing in the sport.
“I have no plans to leave yet,” Lu said when asked if she’ll perform at the 2030 Winter Games. “I can’t imagine not skating next year.”
Cross-country skiers awarded gold medals
As per tradition, the last two gold medals were awarded at the Closing Ceremony. That distinction goes to the winners of the 50 km classic mass start cross country skiers. The honor is meant to highlight the grueling endurance that it takes to compete in the sport. Marathon runners are given the same distinction at the Summer Games.
Sweden’s Ebba Andersson was awarded her gold medal after beating out Norway’s Heidi Weng by 2 minutes and 15 seconds in the event.
On the men’s side, Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo was awarded his sixth gold medal of the Milan Corina Games. With the 50 km classic mass start win, Klaebo set the record for the only winter sport athlete to win six gold medals in a single Winter Olympics. It brings Klaebo’s gold medal total to 11, which means swimmer Michael Phlelps as the only other Olympian to hold more gold medals than him.
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Oldest Olympic volunteer honored at Closing Ceremony
Set to the catchy 1998 song by Italian music group Eiffel 65, Blue (Da Ba Dee), a performance was put on to honor the over 18,000 volunteers at the Winter Games. Amongst those volunteers is 88-year-old Mario Gargiulo, who was a volunteer the last time Milan Cortina hosted the Olympics back in 1956.
Teaser for 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles
While the Closing Ceremony focused heavily on Italian culture, and the passing of the Olympic flag to France to host the 2030 Winter Games, we also got a nice table setter for the next Summer Olympics in 2028. Held in Los Angeles, the Closing Ceremony broadcast ended with Academy Award-nominated actress and singer Kate Hudson singing a cover of “California Dreamin'” by The Mamas and the Papas.
As Hudson sang, a montage of various American athletes were featured in the promo video. It was the perfect video to get everyone hyped for the next Summer Games, which will surely be a spectacle in La La Land.
