We’re only two days away from Super Bowl 60 in Santa Clara.

The New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks will meet Feb. 8 to decide who will win the Lombardi Trophy. After a week of festivities that included the 15th annual NFL Honors on Feb. 5, Super Bowl opening night, the Pro Bowl Games on Feb. 3 and more, it’s officially time to focus on the league’s annual finale.

USA TODAY Sports will provide the latest updates, highlights, news, quotes and more from Super Bowl week, leading up to Super Bowl 60 on Sunday. All times are Eastern.

Kliff Kingsbury to join LA Rams coaching staff

The Los Angeles Rams finished one win short of the Super Bowl this season, but will have one more offensive guru on the coaching staff for 2026. Multiple reports have former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury joining buddy Sean McVay on his coaching staff in 2026. Read more here.

– Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz

Seahawks’ ‘breakfast club’ beating Darnold, Kupp to work on the regular

Here’s a story you won’t find anywhere else. Three unheralded Seahawks defenders have made it a habit to be the first in the door at Seattle’s training facility over the past three years, even beating notorious early risers Cooper Kupp and Sam Darnold. USA TODAY NFL reporter Nate Davis has the lowdown on the group that Kupp jokingly claims lives at the Seahawks training facility. Read more here:

– Nate Davis

Meanwhile, in Italy: 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony is live

Indulge us a diversion from all things football, but there’s something else major happening in the sports world today. The opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics is live now, broadcast on NBC, with a rebroadcast at 8 p.m. ET Feb. 6.

You can follow USA TODAY’s ongoing Olympics coverage at usatoday.com/sports/olympics/ and follow live coverage of the opening ceremony here.

– Eric Larsen

Seahawks face big decisions on Walker III, Shaheed after Super Bowl 60

Two major offensive X factors for the Seattle Seahawks are entering free agency after the Feb. 8 Super Bowl – Kenneth Walker III and Rashid Shaheed. USA TODAY NFL insider Tyler Dragon has the lowdown on what both mean to the Seahawks, and what they’ve said about their futures with the team. Read more here.

– Tyler Dragon

How the Patriots rookies powered a Super Bowl run

Significant NFL turnarounds in recent years have followed a similar path to that of the Patriots. Last year, the Washington Commanders made the NFC championship game following a 4-13 campaign the year before. In 2023, the Houston Texans made a run to the divisional playoffs a year after going 3-13-1.

Like those teams, New England has a new coaching staff, which helped their turnaround to AFC champion. But it also has been an influx of new talent – especially rookies.

Top draft picks Will Campbell and TreVeyon Henderson played crucial roles in the Patriots’ season, as is expected. It’s not just a two-man rookie class. Read on for more on the fresh faces propelling the Patriots’ resurgence.

– Ayrton Ostly

Matthew Stafford: MVP and MVD? Watch his daughters laud dad in adorable video

Here’s an award anyone who’s ever answered to the name of ‘Daddy’ can appreciate. NFL MVP Matthew Stafford thought he was in for a film session when his family surprised him with a heartwarming video you just have to watch.

– Scooby Axson

Can you trust Madden NFL 26 to predict the Super Bowl 60 winner?

Per a USA TODAY analysis of Madden NFL video game picks dating back to 2004 — the first year publisher EA ran predictions — the simulation generally beats the odds. Madden has correctly predicted 13 of 22 Super Bowls for a 59% success rate, far eclipsing the 48% pick rate of the Vegas line during the same span, per Pro Football Reference. However, that success hasn’t come without its share of rough patches.

– Jared Beilby

Patriots’ Christian Gonzalez reps Colombia at Super Bowl 60

– Chris Bumbaca

Sonny Jurgensen, Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, dies at age 91

Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen has passed away at the age of 91, the Washington Commanders announced Jan. 6. You can read the full story here.

– Scooby Axson

What makes Jaxon Smith-Njigba elite? Inside Seahawks WR’s route-running prowess

USA TODAY NFL insider Tyler Dragon has spent a lot of time with the Seattle Seahawks late this season while charting the ascendence of the 2025 NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Read here to learn more about how the third-year pro has compiled a record-setting season.

– Tyler Dragon

Jim Schwartz resigns as Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator

Hours after his star player, defensive end Myles Garrett, won Defensive Player of the Year, Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz resigned after getting passed over for the team’s head coaching vacancy, according to multiple reports.

Read the full story here.

– Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz

Matthew Stafford, Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald lead NFL Honors highlights

The NFL handed out its annual hardware Feb. 5, with Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford claiming the league MVP title in one of the closest votes in the award’s history.

The much-discussed 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class was also revealed, with Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Adam Vinatieri, Luke Kuechly and Roger Craig getting the call. Catch up on USA TODAY Sports’ coverage of the night here:

Brees and Fitzgerald (not Belichick and Kraft) headline Hall of Fame class
NFL MVP Matthew Stafford announces he’ll return to play for Rams in 2026 season
Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba named NFL Offensive Player of the Year
Browns’ Carson Schwesinger wins NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award
Tiffany Haddish mispronounces Patriots coach Mike Vrabel’s name at NFL Honors
Christian McCaffrey wins NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
Mike Vrabel wins NFL Coach of the Year Award ahead of Super Bowl 60
Myles Garrett unanimously wins NFL Defensive Player of Year
Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan wins NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
2026 NFL Honors awards: Live updates, results on MVP and more winners

– Eric Larsen

Patriots vs. Seahawks playoff record

The Patriots and Seahawks have met once in the playoffs. That came in Super Bowl 49, a tightly contested game New England won 28-24.

Patriots vs. Seahawks regular-season history

The Patriots and Seahawks have met 19 times in the regular season in NFL history. Seattle has gotten the better of New England across those matchups, posting an 11-8 record.

When did the Patriots and Seahawks last play?

The Patriots and Seahawks last met during Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season. Seattle earned a 23-20 overtime victory after Jason Myers made a walk-off 31-yard field goal to cap off an eight-play, 71-yard drive after New England went three-and-out on the opening possession of the extra frame.

How much do Super Bowl 60 tickets cost?

According to Ticketmaster’s official website, the average annual Super Bowl ticket resale prices range from $4,000 to $6,000 before fees.

As of the afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 4, the average price of the cheapest single ticket across multiple resale websites (StubHub, Ticketmaster, SeatGeek, Vivid Seats, etc.) is $4,785 with all fees accounted for. Last year, the average price of the cheapest tickets from the same resale websites was $3,374, including fees.

When is the Super Bowl?

Date: Sunday, Feb. 8

Super Bowl 60 is set to kick off on Sunday, Feb. 8.

What teams are playing in Super Bowl 60?

Teams: New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks

The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks are set to play in the Super Bowl this year. The Patriots are the designated home team for the event at Levi’s Stadium.

Super Bowl odds for Patriots vs. Seahawks

The Seahawks remain favored to beat the Patriots in Super Bowl 60 as of Feb. 6, according to the BetMGM NFL odds.

Spread: Seahawks (-4.5)
Moneyline: Seahawks (-235); Patriots (+195)
Over/under: 45.5

The lighting of the Olympic cauldron has become an important part of every Olympic Games over the past century, serving as the symbolic home for the Olympic flame and a natural ending to the Olympic torch relay. The opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics made history in that regard, with two cauldrons lit to close out the festivities on Friday, Feb. 6 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Decorated former Italian Olympic alpine skiiers Alberto Tonga and Deborah Compagnoni used the Olympic torch to light the cauldron in Milan, while gold medal winner current Olympic downhill skiier Sofia Goggia of Italy simultaneously ignited the flame within the cauldron within the mountains of Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The Olympic flame, after two months of an Olympic torch relay, fist appeared Milan’s San Siro Stadium towards the end of Friday’s opening ceremony at the Milan Cortina Games, accompanied by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli singing the opera song, ‘Nussun Dorma,’ backed by an orchestra. The drama built from there with an elaborate performance featuring Italian rapper Ghali and an appearance by actress Charlize Theron to present a message of peace.

There were two Olympic cauldrons lit simultaneously for the first time this year, with one at Arco della Pace in Milan and another in Piazza Dibona in Cortina d’Ampezzo, since the 2026 Winter Games are spread out across 16 venues in multiple areas of Northern Italy.

The custom design of the cauldrons ‘pay homage to the sun as the primary source of life, energy and renewal,’ according to Olympic organizers, and ‘the design draws inspiration from the genius of Leonardo da Vinci and his famous Knots, geometric interlacings that symbolize the harmony between nature and human ingenuity.’

The lead-up to the 2026 Winter Olympics torch relay began on Nov. 26, 2025 in Olympia, Greece with the lighting of the Olympic flame, which then arrived in Rome on Dec. 4. The torch relay started on Dec. 6 and arrived in Milan on Feb. 5 ahead of the opening ceremony. Snoop Dogg, the stars of HBO’s ‘Heated Rivalry,’ former AC Milan and Inter Milan soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimovic are among the more than 1,000 people to serve as 2026 Winter Olympics torchbearers over the past two months.

The Olympic flames within the two cauldrons will be extinguished as part of the closing ceremony on Feb. 22.

The largest delegation participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy will be Team USA with 232 athletes competing in 16 disciplines, the largest the nation has ever sent to compete in a Winter Games.

Team USA’s 232 Olympians are among some 2,900 athletes competing at the Milano Cortina Games during the next two weeks. A total of 92 national Olympic committees sent athletes to the games, spanning the globe from Madagascar to Iceland. Committees don’t necessarily represent countries; for example, the committee for the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico is sending one athlete.

The largest delegations after the U.S. are Canada with 211 athletes, host country Italy with 195 and Germany with 189. Among the smallest: Venezuela sent a cross-country skier; Saudi Arabia sent an alpine skier and a cross-country skier; and San Marino, the microstate located over 200 miles to the south of Milan, sent an alpine skier. Around 20 athletes with Russian and Belarussian passports will compete as ‘Individual Neutral Athletes,’ or AINs for short.

Milano Cortina will feature eight disciplines or sports, one more than any other Winter Games as ski mountaineering makes its debut. But the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics featured the greatest number of Olympians for a Winter Games with over 2,900 athletes.

When will the U.S. walk in the opening ceremony?

At the opening ceremony on Feb. 6 Team USA will walk third to last.

Organizers of the Games have a unique formula for deciding the order athletes from the 92 committees will walk in the opening ceremony parades taking place at San Siro Stadium in Milan, Livigno and Predazzo.

First up in the parade of nations is always Greece in reference to the games’ legendary origins in competitions between city-states nearly 3,000 years ago.

The host country always walks last; the country hosting the next Winter Games – France in 2030, in this case – walks second to last; and the United States, which hosts the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, goes third to last.

Other committees typically proceed in the ceremony according to alphabetical order.

Countries at 2026 Winter Olympics

Here’s the full list of every country participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, including the number of participating athletes for each country:

Albania (4)
Andorra (7)
Argentina (8)
Armenia (5)
Australia (53)
Austria (116)
Azerbaijan (2)
Belgium (30)
Benin (1)
Bolivia (1)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (5)
Brazil (14)
Bulgaria (20)
Canada (211)
Chile (4)
China (125)
Chinese Taipei (8)
Colombia (1)
Croatia (14)
Cyprus (2)
Czech Republic (115)
Denmark (39)
Ecuador (1)
Eritrea (1)
Estonia (31)
Finland (101)
France (157)
Georgia (8)
Germany (189)
Great Britain (53)
Greece (5)
Guinea-Bissau (1)
Haiti (2)
Hong Kong (4)
Hungary (15)
Iceland (4)
Indiana (2)
Individual Neutral Athletes (20)
Iran (4)
Ireland (4)
Israel (9)
Italy (195)
Jamaica (6)
Japan (196)
Kazakhstan (36)
Kenya (1)
Kosovo (2)
Kyrgyzstan (2)
Latvia (67)
Lebanon (2)
Liechtenstein (7)
Lithuania (17)
Luxembourg (2)
Madagascar (2)
Malaysia (1)
Malta (1)
Mexico (5)
Moldova (5)
Monaco (1)
Mongolia (3)
Montenegro (2)
Morocco (2)
Netherlands (39)
New Zealand (17)
Nigeria (1)
North Macedonia (4)
Norway (80)
Pakistan (1)
Philippines (2)
Poland (59)
Portugal (3)
Puerto Rico (1)
Romania (29)
San Marino (1)
Saudi Arabia (2)
Serbia (3)
Singapore (1)
Slovakia (53)
Slovenia (37)
South Africa (5)
South Korea (71)
Spain (20)
Sweden (110)
Switzerland (175)
Thailand (3)
Trinidad and Tobago (6)
Turkey (8)
Ukraine (45)
United Arab Emirates (2)
United States (232)
Uruguay (1)
Uzbekistan (2)
Venezuela (1)

They shine like the real thing, but how much gold is there really in the medals athletes will lift on the podium at the 2026 Winter Olympics?

Not much, according to the organizers of the Games in Italy. 

A total of 245 gold medals will be awarded to winners of 116 Olympic and 79 Paralympic events over the next few weeks at the Milano Cortina Games.

Just six grams of the 506-gram gold medals contain gold; the medals otherwise consist of silver, organizers said. There are about 450 grams in a pound. 

The metals used to make the awards are highly refined. The gold medals consist of 99.9% pure gold and 99% pure silver.

According to organizers, the silver medals consist of 500 grams of 99% silver and the bronze medals consist of 420 grams of copper. Organizers don’t specify the purity of the bronze medals. 

How big are the medals?  

The Olympic medals have a diameter of about 80 millimeters and are around 10 millimeters thick, according to organizers.

In measurements commonly used in the U.S., the medals are about three inches in diameter and over a third of an inch thick.

What’s behind the design?

The medals being awarded to athletes at Milano Cortina are designed to appear to have two offset halves.

According to organizers, the halves ‘symbolise the culmination of the athlete’s journey and all those who have walked beside them along the way.’

The medals were developed by designers at the organizing committee of the games in Italy. 

What are the medals worth?

Gold was valued at $160 a gram on Feb. 6 during the opening ceremony. Silver was valued at about $2.50 a gram.

Each individual gold medal then consists of about $960 of gold and $1,250 of silver for a total of $2,210. 

Shaun White is still contributing to the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics despite retiring from competition.

The legendary snowboarder and three-time American gold medalist is serving as an expert commentator on NBC for the Olympic Games in Italy, also contributing to the opening ceremony on Feb. 6 from San Siro Stadium in Milan. The five-time Olympian retired after the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

White rose to prominence after he won the gold medal in the snowboarding half-pipe event at the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics when he was 19 years old.

Here’s everything to know of White, who’s back at the Olympics, albeit in a different form:

Who is Shaun White?

White, one of the most recognizable extreme sports athletes in the world, is a five-time Olympian and three-time medalist, all of which are golds, which is the most by any Olympic snowboarder.

White also has the record for most X Games gold medals with 15. He has 23 total X Games medals, including five silvers and three bronze wins.

The 39-year-old retired after the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, where he failed to medal. The 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics are his first since ending his athletic career, and he said he’s focused on touring multiple different events to which he’s unaccustomed.

‘This is all an exciting time for me, from announcing and being a part of the Olympics in this new way,’ White told Olympics.com. ‘I am excited to take it all in. See the different events like ice skating, skiing, half pipe, big air, obviously snowboarding. I’m just going try to see everything honestly, that’s my goal.’

He also said he hopes to get Snoop Dogg on a snowboard.

‘I’m trying to get Snoop,’ White said. ‘Snoop on a snowboard is my goal. We need him on the board, and I’m going to try to do that.’

White is arguably as famous in American culture as he is as an athlete. He was the focus of two Shaun White snowboarding video games in 2009 and 2010, before a skateboarding Shaun White game released in 2011. He also had an exclusive clothing line at Target stores.

Is Shaun White competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics?

White is not competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics, as he retired from competition after the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games.

He is, however, on site at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics as an expert commentator with NBC. He was among the NBC color analysts for the opening ceremony on Feb. 6.

How many medals does Shaun White have?

White has three medals across five Olympic appearances, all of which are gold. He never won a silver or bronze medal, and all three of his gold medal wins came in the snowboard halfpipe event.

His first gold medal came at the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics, which he won at 19 years old. He repeated in the halfpipe event in 2010, taking home gold at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. He didn’t medal in Sochi in 2014 but responded with a gold medal win in 2018 in Pyeongchang after a historic final run put him atop the podium.

White said he nearly retired in the leadup to the 2018 Olympics after an injury in training, but eventually won gold with the trick that led to him being hospitalized in 2017.

‘(The third gold) was so hard to get,’ he told on TheToday Show in 2017. ‘On my way to that Olympics, I had this horrible accident where I ripped my face open, 62 stitches, pulmonary contusions, like I’m bleeding in my lungs.’

White didn’t medal in 2022 and retired after the Games.

Shaun White age

White is 39 years old, as he was born on Sept. 3, 1986. His first appearance at the Winter Olympics came in the 2006 Torino Olympic Games.

It sounds like the Los Angeles Lakers may have caught a break with Luka Dončić and his latest injury.

The NBA’s leading scorer suffered a hamstring injury on Thursday, Feb. 5 that forced him out of the team’s 119-115 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

The injury happened during the second quarter, with 3:30 left to play. Philadelphia threw a double team at Dončić, which prompted him to turn the ball over on a bad pass. Immediately after the turnover, Dončić appeared to favor the back of his left leg and went straight to the locker room.

Dončić did not have a notable limp, but broadcast cameras caught him expressing visible frustration as he went into the locker room.

Dončić did not come out onto the floor with his teammates at the start of the second half, and the Lakers ruled him out with left leg soreness.

Here’s everything you need to know about Luka Dončić’s injury.

Luka Dončić injury update

The Lakers are not required to submit an official injury report until later Friday evening, so an official designation will be available then.

“Too early to say if it’s an injury,” Lakers coach JJ Redick told reporters Thursday after the game. “(Dončić) had a sore hamstring.”

Luka Dončić stats

Dončić is averaging 32.8 points per game, which leads all NBA players, adding 8.6 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game. Dončić has appeared in 42 games.

MILAN — The twin cauldron flames of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina are lit, the opening ceremony showcased Italy’s rich cultural history, and these Games are officially underway.

This year’s main ceremony was at San Siro Stadium in Milan, a 100-year-old venue and the oldest in Italy. Officials previously announced an inclusive theme featuring a show inside the stadium, and the festivities stretched across the clusters of the Milano Cortina Games, including satellite ceremonies in Livigno and Predazzo. The parade of nations featured athletes from more than 90 countries around the world.

U.S. speed skater Erin Jackson, one of two flag bearers and the defending gold medalist in the women’s 500m, stepped out with a wide smile when the Americans entered the stadium as she waved the stars and stripes, her teammates falling in behind her. The American Olympians who walked in the parade of nations in Milan received cheers from the crowd of nearly 79,000 people. In Livigno, the crowd wasn’t big, but there were some “USA” chants.

USA TODAY Sports is on the ground across Northern Italy to bring you live updates throughout these Games. Here are the highlights from the opening ceremony.

Team USA gets cheers, JD Vance gets boos at opening ceremony

As U.S. Olympians walked into the stadium in matching Ralph Lauren ensembles during the Parade of Nations, choruses of cheers rang out across the crowd of spectators, until U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance, were shown on the stadium’s Jumbotron. At the sight of Vance waving miniature American flags from the San Siro grandstand, the crowd booed loudly. — Cydney Henderson

Who lit Olympic cauldrons at opening ceremony?

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO — Italy turned to some of its greatest Alpine skiers, past and present, to light the two cauldrons for these Winter Games. 

Three-time Olympic champions Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni lit the cauldron in Milano while Sofia Goggia, who is seeking her second Olympic gold at these Games, lit the cauldron in Cortina. 

Despite the late hour, all three drew cheers and loud applause as they were raised on platforms to put the torches to the sun-like cauldrons, signalling that the Milano Cortina games are officially open.

After a nearly three-hour ceremony at San Siro Stadium in Milano and the streets of Cortina, Livigno and Predazzo, the torch appeared on the streets of Milano. It was carried by Gerda Weissensteiner, a two-time Olympic medalist in luge, and Manuela di Centa, a seven-time medalist in cross-country skiing. 

The torch was then handed off, physically to speedskater Enrico Fabris in Milano and virtually to Gustav Thoni, the 1972 Olympic champion in giant slalom. Both carried their torches a short distance before handing off to Tomba, Compagnoni and Goggia.

The cauldrons were designed to emulate Leonardo da Vinci’s knot engravings, according to Olympic officials. da Vinci lived in Milan for 17 years of his renowned life. — Nancy Armour

Order of countries in Olympic opening ceremony

There are 92 countries in the Winter Olympics. Greece is always the first country in the parade of nations, the host country is always last. The second to last country is the next host of the Winter Games — France, in this case. The United States, who hosts the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, went third to last. The rest of the order was alphabetical based on the Italian spelling of the countries, which is why Saudi Arabia walked fourth; it’s called Arabia Saudita in Italian.

How many US athletes in 2026 Olympics?

The U.S. team for the Milano Cortina Olympics has 232 athletes, its largest-ever for a Winter Olympics.

What Charlize Theron said at opening ceremony

Charlize Theron is at the opening ceremony as a U.N. peace ambassador. She delivered a call for peace: ‘Let these Games be more than just sport … but a resounding call for peace everywhere.’

Who carried Olympics flags?

In Milan, it’s Japanese mathmatician and politician Tadatoshi Akiba; Brazilian gymnast and two-time gold medalist Rebeca Andrade; Nigerian poet and artist Maryam Bukar Hassan; Italian writer Nicolò Govoni; Italian diplomat Filippo Grandi; Kenyan long distance runner Eliud Kipchoge; Cameroonian boxer Cindy Ngamba and the well-known Tongan flag bearer Pita Taufatofua. In Livigno, it’s Italian cross-country skier Franco Nones and Italian short-track speed skater Martina Valcepina.

Erin Jackson, Frank Del Duca as US flagbearers

Olympic speedskating champion Erin Jackson and bobsledder Frank Del Duca were the flag bearers for Team USA’s delegation at the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina Winter Games.

Jackson, who won gold in the women’s 500 meters in Beijing in 2022, will be back to defend her title and compete in the 1,000 meters as well. This marks her third Olympic appearance.

‘It’ll definitely give me a lot of motivation, because just walking out into opening ceremonies even without carrying the flag, it’s this amazing feeling of like, ‘OK, we’re here. We’re at the Olympics. We’re surrounded by all these amazing people who have worked so hard to get to this point,” Jackson said Wednesday. ‘Just even being in the opening ceremonies, that’s just like the start of the games, but it’s always just kind of like a breathtaking feeling. I think carrying the flag is just going to add to that, and I’m really looking forward to it.’

Del Duca – a sergeant in the U.S. Army stationed in Lake Placid, New York – made his Olympic Winter Games debut in Beijing, and has been in the sport for over a decade. He is part of the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program (WCAP).

Get our Chasing Gold Olympics newsletter in your inbox for coverage of your favorite Team USA athletes

IOC president Kirsty Coventry

The president of the International Olympic Committee is Kirsty Coventry. Coventry was elected in March 2025 to succeed Thomas Bach and is the first woman to be IOC president. A swimmer, Coventry represented Zimbabwe at five Olympics and won seven medals, two of them gold. She also swam at Auburn, leading the Tigers to NCAA titles in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Coventry became an IOC athlete member in 2013 and was elected as an individual member in 2021. — Nancy Armour

Andrea Bocelli’s opening ceremony performance

Of course Andrea Bocelli has a role in the opening ceremony. It wouldn’t be a global sporting event without him.

The Italian tenor is singing while the torch relay makes its way through the San Siro Stadium on the way to the cauldron(s) being lit. It’s not known what Bocelli will be singing, but it’s a good bet it will be Nessun Dorma. The aria from Puccini’s opera Turandot was synonymous with the late Luciano Pavarotti, who Bocelli performed with as one of “The Three Tenors.” Since Pavarotti’s death, it’s become a signature of Bocelli’s.

Mongolia’s opening ceremony outfits

Please give me a moment to pick up my jaw off the floor. Mongolia turned heads at the 2024 Paris Olympics with its intricate ceremonial garb and the country has earned flying colors yet again. Goyol Cashmere created a Mongolian deel that effortlessly merges Mongolia’s identity and heritage with traditional garments that still feel modern. The opening ceremony look is inspired by the Great Mongol Empire of the 13th and 15th centuries, “one of the most powerful periods in our nations history,” Goyol Cashmere explains. The outfit incorporates Mongolian cashmere, silk trim and embroidery for an ornate finish that is worthy of applause. — Cydney Henderson

Check out our full style guide to the Winter Olympics opening ceremony.

Team Italy does Federica Brignone a solid

Brignone was one of Italy’s flag bearers, and she led the contingent into Cortina while riding on one of her teammates’ shoulders. Brignone, the reigning overall champion in Alpine skiing, broke her leg in April, and is still recovering. 

After completing a downhill training run earlier in the day, Brignone said she was still in pain. 

“I’m still not 100%, I mean not even 80%,” she said. “But it is what it is, and I have no excuses. I will try to make my best.” — Nancy Armour

Mariah Carey’s performance at Olympics opening ceremony

The second, Nel blu dipinto di blu, is better known as Volare. C’mon! Sing it with me! “Volare, oh, oh. Contare, oh, oh, oh, oh.” The song, inspired by paintings by Marc Chagall, first came to fame as Italy’s entrant at the 1958 Eurovision contest. While it didn’t win, it was named Billboard’s Song of the Year and won song of the year and record of the year honors at the first-ever Grammys. 

Prior to Carey, the song has been covered by Dean Martin, David Bowie, Frank Sinatra, Barry White and the Gipsy Kings. — Nancy Armour

Is Mariah Carey Italian?

Carey’s mother, an opera singer, is of Irish descent and her father African-American and Afro-Venezuelan.

How many athletes at Olympics?

There are 2,900 athletes at these Winter Games from 92 countries.

Laura Pausini’s opening ceremony performance of Italian national anthem

Grammy winner Laura Pausini sung the Italian national anthem at the opening ceremony. Italy’s national anthem is “Il Canto degli Italiani,” which translates to “The Chant of the Italians.” Though Italians often refer to it as “Inno di Memeli,” after the author of its lyrics, or “Fratelli d’Italia,” which is how the anthem beings. 

The anthem was written in 1847 and became popular during Italy’s fight for independence. It was adopted as Italy’s national anthem after World War II. — Nancy Armour

Is Russia banned from Olympics?

Officially, Russia is banned from the Olympics because Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. At the Milano Cortina Games, there will be no Russian flags, no Russian anthems and no Russian national colors incoporated in the competition. (The same holds true for Belarus, which has supported Russia in the war.)

But there will be athletes with Russian and Belarussian passports competing as ‘Individual Neutral Athletes,’ or AINs for short, if they meet specific conditions. That contingent will include 13 Russians and seven Belarussians, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Jan. 29.

If any of the AIN athletes were to win gold, a wordless anthem commissioned by the IOC would play. And none of the them will be allowed to participate in the Opening Ceremony Feb. 6. The IOC used the same procedure for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

The International Paralympic Committee, on the other hand, lifted its ban of Russia and Belarus in September, clearing both countries to return to the Paralympics wearing their names and colors. But not all sport federations have lifted their bans, while others did not lift them in time for athletes to qualify for Milano Cortina. As a result, the IPC said In October that it didn’t expect any athletes from the two countries at the 2026 Paralympics. — Nancy Armour

Why Shaun White was at Olympics opening ceremony

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White is a part of NBC’s broadcast team for the opening ceremony, particularly the parade of nations portion. He went to five Winter Games — 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 — and won gold in snowboard halfpipe in 2006, 2010 and 2018.

How long was Olympics opening ceremony?

The opening ceremony is expected to last about 2 hours and 45 minutes. The longest part is the parade of athletes, which is scheduled to take just over an hour and 3 minutes. There is also a 30-minute pre-show.

Why does Greece go first in opening ceremony parade of nations?

Greece goes first in the Parade of Nations because it’s the birthplace of the Olympics, ancient and modern. 

The Olympics were a regular occurrence for almost 12 centuries in ancient Greece. When Pierre de Coubertin decided to bring them back, he chose Athens as the first site of the modern Olympic Games, in 1896. — Nancy Armour

Who is Eileen Gu?

LIVIGNO, Italy — Eileen Gu’s first Olympics made her one of the most famous and recognizable in China. Not bad for somebody born and raised in the United States.

As Gu continues to sidestep citizenship questions, she enters these Games with three Olympic medals from Beijing 2022 (big air gold, halfpipe gold, slopestyle silver). She’s now the most successful women’s free skier ever, with 20 victories on the World Cup circuit. She also won at the inaugural Snow League event in China in December. Gu studies at Stanford and is also involved in the fashion industry, with modeling credits for Victoria’s Secret and Louis Vuitton. — Chris Bumbaca

Lindsey Vonn fans in Cortina as opening ceremony festivities pick up

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Eager spectators walk past window shops of internationally renowned fashion houses such as Valentino, Dior and Fendi along Corso Italia in Cortina. Base shakes bars and restaurants teeming with locals and those in town from all over the world for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. They’re passing time with an assortment of wines and beers, reflecting on the day with about half an hour until the opens ceremony begins. Overheard from an American fan with two miniature flags sticking out of her collar musing over Lindsey Vonn’s miraculous downhill training run this afternoon post ACL rupture: “She was a superstar!” And to her naysayers?: “Everyone shut up.”

Just outside the Olympic fan village, young children plant the Italian flag into a mount of hard, muddy snow that’s been cleared from the brick walkway for foot traffic.

Inflatables of Milo and Tina — the dual mascots of these Games representing Milano and Cortina — are set up and a popular photo pop spot for fans. Milo and Tina are brown and white stoats, also known as ermines, which belong to the weasel family.

White neon light doodles of winter sports logos based in the Dolomites line Corso Italia along with flags representing the nations competing at these Games. — Payton Titus

Where are Winter Olympics 2026?

The Winter Olympics always sprawl, because of the need for mountains. But the Milano Cortina Games are the most geographically spread out in Olympic and Paralympic history, with a footprint just slightly smaller than the entire state of New Jersey.

Livigno opening ceremony

LIVIGNO, Italy — There was a host, a DJ playing “Forever Young,” Olympic mascots and a sizable crowd already filing into Livigno Snow Park for this town’s own little satellite opening ceremony, which included skiers and snowboarders from the mountain clusters Livigno and Bormio sites.The ceremony took place in the infield of the venue, which is at the base of the hills for the halfpipe and big air snowboarding and freestyle skiing competitions. — Gentry Estes

What sports are in the Winter Olympics?

The 2026 Milano Cortina Games feature 16 sports.

Alpine skiing: 10 medal events
Biathlon: 11 medal events
Bobsled: four medal events
Cross-country skiing: 12 medal events
Curling: three medal events
Figure skating: five medal events
Freestyle skiing: 15 medal events
Ice hockey: two medal events
Luge: five medal events
Nordic combined: three medal events
Short track speed skating: nine medal events
Skeleton: three medal events
Ski jumping: six medal events
Ski mountaineering: three medal events
Snowboard: 11 medal events
Speed skating: 14 medal events

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – Eager spectators walked past window shops of internationally renowned fashion houses such as Fendi, Dior and Valentino along Corso Italia in Cortina Friday evening. The bass boomed from bars and restaurants teeming with locals and those in town from all over the world for the 2026 Winter Olympics. They passed the time with an assortment of wines and beers and reflected on the day minutes before a historic opening ceremony began.

These Games are the first ever with two Olympic cauldrons – one in Milan, one in Cortina – and multiple opening ceremony sites. Athletes walked proudly behind their countries’ flags in Milan, Cortina, Livigno and Predazzo.

Those competing in biathlon, women’s Alpine skiing, bobsled, luge, skeleton and curling started their leg in Cortina. They passed through an illuminated circle meant to function as “a portal and a point of orientation,” according to the ceremony media guide, while offering a contrast to verticality’s dominance on the surrounding landscape. The event culminated in the lighting of both cauldrons, designed as an homage to Leonardo Di Vinci’s knots. They will glow for the entirety of these Games.

No site was as grandiose as the ceremony in Milano, where famous singer Mariah Carey performed, giant set pieces ruled the evening, and complex choreography dazzled those in San Siro Stadium. But the parade along Coso Italia in Cortina was still special. Because it allowed athletes hundreds of miles away to enjoy the experience.

‘I feel like there’s been a lot of different, like, ‘You made it’ moments along the way,’ USA luger Ansel Haugsjaa said Friday. ‘The teams first get announced, but then you’re waiting a while. Then you go to welcome week, you know, ‘Oh man, this is crazy! It’s actually real.’ And then you get to the village… (The opening ceremony) just feels like one of those Olympic experiences that you’re always hearing about.’

In 2022, USA Skeleton athlete Kelly Curtis said their village was a two-hour trip from the opening ceremony site. Many of her veteran teammates stayed behind and had their own personal walk rather than spending so much time on the road. Especially because they had training the next day.

So Curtis, who currently lives in Italy and works on the Aviano Air Base, was really looking forward to Friday night’s festivities being so close.

‘It’s just incredible,’ she said Thursday. ‘I’ll have my family and some friends come up, and they’ll be watching from balconies.’

‘We all train with the bobsled and skeleton athletes, so to have Frankie as our flag bearer is something special,’ USA luger Zachary DiGregorio said, ‘and we’re all super excited for him with that. He’s a great guy.’

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Just outside the Olympic fan village in Cortina, young children planted the Italian flag into a mound of hard, muddy snow that had been cleared from the brick walkway for foot traffic. Fans crowded temporary metal barricades along the parade’s path. Some with their countries’ flag tied around their necks and draped thoughtfully over winter coats.

Cigarette smoke and steamy exhales filled the air. Half empty packs, beer glasses, and cocktail cups crowded small tables, tree stumps and front stoops. All as fans bounced between watching the Milan ceremony on large television screens and the on-site athlete parade.

Cortina has a rich Winter Olympic history. The city was chosen to host the Games in 1944, which did not take place because of World War II. In 1956, the opportunity came back around.

Competition included 923 athletes (only 132 women) from 32 countries, spanning 24 medal events, 11 days and eight disciplines (bobsled, ice hockey, speed skating, figure skating, Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, cross-country skiing and ski jumping). This year’s Games feature 2,900 athletes, 92 countries, 16 sports and 116 medal events. Italian cross country skier Bruno Colli, now 93, carried the torch through his hometown 70 years ago. He remembers it was -24 degrees celsius or -11.2 degrees fahrenheit. (It was about 2 degrees celsius or 36 degrees fahrenheit Friday night.)

The 1956 Games were the first broadcast live in a small handful of European countries in glorious black and white footage, as television began to take off after millions used it to watch Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953.

Venues built for the 1956 Olympics are still in use. Olympia delle Tofane, home to women’s Alpine skiing this year, also hosted races back then. The Olympic Ice Stadium hosted 1956’s opening and closing ceremonies, men’s hockey and figure skating. Now it’s enclosed and committed to curling.

The town once cut off from the rest of the world by the mighty Dolomites used those Games to become a fixture of international winter sport and tourism. Cortina regularly hosts FIS World Cups and skiing and curling World Championship events.

Between TV exposure and the staging of the Games accelerating pre-planned road upgrades (to the tune of 2 billion Italian lire, about $59 million today), access to Cortina improved at the perfect time. The city’s population hovers around 6,000 in the low season and explodes to 50,000 during winter months. Cortina has also been filmed for iconic movies like James Bond’s ‘For Your Eyes Only’ (1981) and ‘Spider Man: Far From Home’ (2019).

Hotels, restaurants and bars are sprinkled all across the mountainside, peaking through heaps of snow. Olympic paraphernalia – flags and banners and temporary structures – jump out against the Italian Alpine architecture that defines the region. Wood paneling on wood paneling on wood paneling.

Street lamps are few and far between up here. But twinkly lights – likely remnants of Christmastime left up in anticipation of the Games – glowing white line drawings of winter sport logos and spotlight projections of the Italian flag are a physical manifestation of a city beaming with pride. Proud of its storied connection with the Olympics. And proud of making history on the world’s biggest stage.

Reach USA TODAY Network sports reporter Payton Titus at ptitus@gannett.com, and follow her on X @petitus25.

Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen has passed away at the age of 91, the Washington Commanders announced.

Jurgensen was selected in the fourth round of the 1957 draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and spent eight seasons there. He was a backup on the 1960 team that won the NFL Championship. In his first season as a starter, he threw 32 touchdown passes, a mark that remains the franchise’s single-season record, and earned first-time All-Pro honors.

He was traded to Washington before the 1964 season, and played with the franchise for the next 11 seasons, finishing his career with 32,224 passing yards, 255 touchdowns, and 189 interceptions. He led the NFL in passing yards five times during his career.

‘Sonny Jurgensen is, and always will be, one of the defining legends of Washington football. He was a brilliant leader, Hall of Fame quarterback, and had one of the best arms the game has ever seen. After his career on the field, Sonny’s voice became a fixture of Washington Sundays for decades, shaping the way generations of fans experienced the game,’ Josh Harris, the Commanders’ managing partner, said in a statement.

‘For me, Sonny was the embodiment of what it means to don the Burgundy and Gold: tough, smart, and endlessly devoted to this franchise and its fans. He was a giant of the game and a beloved part of our team’s identity. Our hearts and prayers are with Sonny’s family, friends, and everyone who loved him.’

After retirement, Jurgensen spent nearly four decades as an analyst on various Washington football broadcasts.

Jurgensen, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983, and the Commanders retired his No. 9 jersey in 2022.