The ceremony for lighting the Olympic flame for the 2026 Winter Olympics took place in Greece. Due to unfavorable weather conditions, the organizers were forced to change the usual procedure: instead of lighting the flame using sunlight at the Temple of Hera, part of the event was held at the Archaeological Museum, where a backup flame, preserved from the rehearsal, was used.
The High Priestess Mary Mina handed the flame to the first torchbearer — Petros Gaidatzis, a bronze medalist in rowing at the 2024 Olympics. Initially, it was planned that the torchbearer would be skier Alexandros Giannnis, but he had to withdraw from participation due to illness. The relay also included two-time Olympic champion Stefania Belmondo.
The relay across Greece will last until December 4 and will conclude at the Panathenaic Stadium. After that, the flame will be passed to Italy, where the national stage of the route will begin on December 6. This stage will involve 10,001 torchbearers, and the total route will cover 12,000 kilometers. The relay will conclude at the "San Siro" stadium in Milan, where the opening ceremony of the 2026 Games will take place.
