Games officials say the torches are a tribute to Italian design, celebrating the bond between man and nature. The Olympic torch features shades of the sky while the Paralympic flame carries colors of the mountains.
The Olympic Torch Relay debuted at the 1936 Summer Games. The tradition didn’t open Winter Olympic events until the 1952 Games in Oslo, Norway.
Since then, it has marked the start of every Olympic Games to date.
For the 2026 Games, torchbearers will carry the flame from Rome to Milan. The relay begins Dec. 6, 2025, and ends Feb. 6, 2026, at the opening ceremony.
