2026 Winter Paralympics: IPC calls Milan Cortina the biggest ever as Opening Ceremony boycott looms
2026 winter paralympics organizers and officials are pushing ahead in Italy as the Games prepare to officially begin on Friday, with the opening ceremony set for Verona. The International Paralympic Committee on Thursday hailed Milan Cortina as the biggest Paralympic Winter Games in history, alongside record female participation. The celebration comes with a sharp political edge: some nations are set to boycott the ceremony because of the return of the Russian flag and national anthem to the global stage, as confirmed by the International Paralympic Committee.
Biggest field ever: 56 nations, 616 athletes, 79 medal events
Speaking Thursday, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said a record 56 nations are bringing 616 athletes to compete across 79 medal events in six sports. The IPC said those figures surpass the previous high of 564 athletes from 49 nations at Pyeongchang 2018. Officials also pointed to record female participation at Milan Cortina, framing it as a milestone for the Winter Games’ evolution.
The schedule is already moving: competition began Wednesday, March 4, with wheelchair curling action before Friday’s ceremony, with play continuing Thursday, March 5. All developments in this report are current as of 1: 30 p. m. ET on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
Opening Ceremony pressure: boycott plans and logistics in Verona
The opening ceremony is set for Friday evening at the Verona Arena, starting at 7: 00 p. m. local time, with organizers describing a program blending spectacle, culture, and hospitality that will “showcase the beauty of Italy’s monuments, the talent of its people, and the warm welcome extended to delegations from all over the world. ” Acts due to take part include Stewart Copeland (The Police drummer), Mimi Caruso (Italian singer), and Miky Bionic (DJ), described by organizers as the first DJ in the world to perform with an advanced bionic hand.
But the ceremony is also set to be boycotted by some nations, an issue the IPC linked to the return of the Russian flag and national anthem to the global stage. At the same time, practical constraints are shaping how delegations appear: the IPC said volunteers will carry flags for all nations because not all flagbearers will be able to attend the ceremony in Verona due to logistics and training issues.
On the ice now: wheelchair curling draws attention
Competition in Cortina d’Ampezzo on Thursday included wheelchair curling mixed doubles round robin sessions featuring Laura Dwyer of the United States and Stephen Emt of the United States, including a match against Estonia. Estonia’s Katlin Riidebach was also among those competing in Thursday’s mixed doubles round robin action.
Great Britain’s wheelchair curling mixed doubles pair Jo Butterfield and Jason Kean are scheduled to face the United States at 8: 05 in the fourth of their seven round-robin matches, seeking to build on what was described as their first win of the tournament, achieved against Latvia on Thursday evening.
In athlete background shared in event coverage, Dwyer began wheelchair curling in 2019 after a spinal cord injury, and was alternate for the 2022 Games in Beijing before teaming up with Emt two years ago. Emt, a former basketball player, took up wheelchair curling in 2013 and this is his third Games after competing in 2018 and 2022.
Quick context: 50 years of the Winter Paralympics
The Milan Cortina Games mark the 50th anniversary of the Winter Paralympics. Less than 200 athletes from 18 countries competed in two sports in Ornskoldsvik in 1976.
What’s next after the Opening Ceremony
Once the ceremony concludes, attention will pivot back to the day-by-day competition across the six sports on the program and the race for 79 medal events. The IPC’s headline message is scale and participation—yet the opening-night boycott plan is set to test the tone of the first official hours of the Games. For fans tracking the 2026 winter paralympics, the next immediate developments will center on Friday’s Verona ceremony and the continuing wheelchair curling round robin matchups already underway.
