The torch relay () for the 2026 Winter Paralympics, jointly hosted by the Italian cities of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, ran from to . Following the lighting of the Paralympic Flame in Stoke Mandeville, United Kingdom, the relay concluded in Verona, Italy, to coincide with the opening ceremony at the Verona Arena. The route for the Paralympic torch relay was presented by the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 on , one year before the start of the Olympic torch relay, which was unveiled at the same time.
The flame was lit at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital, the "spiritual birthplace" of the Paralympic movement, as is the case for all Paralympic torches from 2014 onwards. The subsequent route in Italy covered over . The torch relay involved 501 torchbearers, with applications opening on 12 February 2025.
On , Italian comedy trio were announced as official narrators for the torch relay. The design of the torch was unveiled on at in Osaka, Japan, as well as simultaneously in Milan; Osaka and Milan are twin cities.
Events From to , the flame was split into five sparks: Milan, Turin, Bolzano, Trento, and Trieste. The flames was then combined in a unifying ceremony in Cortina d'Ampezzo on .
Stops The subsequent torch relay legs visited Venice on , followed by Padua the following day; both cities hosted own local celebrations. The relay ended on in Verona to coincide with the 2026 Winter Paralympics opening ceremony.
+ Stages of the 2026 Winter Paralympic torch relay in Italy"Stages" Day Stage Date Region Stops Notable torchbearers 1 From Dolomites to Venice Veneto 2 From Province of Treviso to Padua 3 Verona, gran final
Bebe Vio was the final torchbearer at the Opening Ceremony in the Verona Arena: the Paralympic fencer handed over the torchlight to the performers, who then virtually carried it in their hands to Milan and Cortina, where the final torchbearers, Gianmaria Dal Maistro and Francesca Porcellato, lit the Paralympic cauldrons.
See also 2026 Winter Olympics torch relay
References
External links
Official website