Milano Cortina 2026: Paralympic and Olympic Torches unveiled

The Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee has unveiled the torches of the Paralympic and Olympic Winter Games. Paralympic stars Bebe Vio and Martina Caironi presented the torches during events at the Triennale di Milano and Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, along with Olympians Stefania Belmondo and Carolina Kostner.

The Milano Cortina 2026 torches have been named “Essential”, highlighting their minimalist design. The Paralympic and Olympic torches both feature a reflective, iridescent finish but they differ in colour – the Paralympic torch is in a bronze tone, while the Olympic torch is in blue-green hues.

The torches were developed by Eni, Premium Partner of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Eni and Versalis worked on design development with Studio Carlo Ratti Associati, while Cavagna Group was responsible for the engineering and production of the torch and its components.

“Essential” torch

The simple form of the torches enhances the centrality of the flame, striking a perfect balance between technology, innovation and sustainability.

Essential is a tribute to the excellence of Italian design. Every detail has been carefully crafted to express the strength and determination of athletes, as well as their ability to bring people together through sport.

Each torch is more than just an object; it is an icon, a fundamental part of the story that Milano Cortina 2026 aims to write, and the legacy it seeks to leave after the Games.

The colours of the torches celebrate the bond between humans and nature, sport and future. The Paralympic torch glows with Mountains of Light, honouring the inner strength of Paralympic athletes and the power of their courage to reshape the world. The Olympic torch lights up in Shades of Sky, inspired by Italy’s ever-changing landscapes. The colour represents movement, hope and transformation.

The Paralympic and Olympic torches will be exhibited at the Italia Pavilion during the Expo 2025 in Osaka and will also be on display at the Triennale di Milano from May 2025 until the end of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Innovation and sustainability

The Essential torches will all be made in Italy. They are lightweight, weighing approximately 1,060 grams excluding the fuel cannister, and are primarily composed of recycled materials, specifically an aluminum and brass alloy.

Sustainability is at the heart of this iconic object: the torches have been designed with a system that allows them to be reused and refilled up to 10 times, significantly reducing the amount of torches required for both relays.

The same attention to detail was dedicated to the energy source that will fuel the flame. The burner – the technological core of the torch – will run on bio-LPG, which is made exclusively from renewable raw materials, mainly waste sources such as used cooking oil, animal fats and residues from the agricultural industry.

Essential features an open design that, for the first time, reveals its technological components, allowing torchbearers and the public to witness and understand how the flame is generated, unveiling the magic.

Paralympic torch relay 

The Paralympic Flame will be lit in Stoke Mandeville, UK, the birthplace of the Paralympic Movement. A total of 501 torchbearers will carry the Paralympic torch in Italy, covering a distance of 2,000 kilometres, before the Paralympic cauldron is lit to mark the opening of the Games.

The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games take place between 6-15 March 2026.

Tickets for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games are on sale at tickets.milanocortina2026.org. Approximately 89 per cent of the tickets for the Games, which feature six sports, cost EUR 35 or less.

Please visit the Milano Cortina 2026 website for more information about the Paralympic and Olympic torches.