2026 Winter Olympics closing ceremony set for Verona Arena

The closing ceremony for the 2026 Winter Olympics will be held at the historic Verona Arena in Verona, Italy, and will air live on NBC with an encore at 9 p.m. ET.

The closing ceremony for the 2026 Winter Olympics will take place at the 2,000-year-old Verona Arena in Verona, Italy. The event is described as a two-and-a-half-hour celebration titled Beauty in Action. Performers named for the program include Roberto Bolle, DJ Gabry Ponte, Achille Lauro and Benedetta Porcaroli. NBC will carry the live broadcast with on-air hosts and reporters covering the ceremony. Key details: - The ceremony is scheduled for Sunday at the historic Verona Arena in Verona, Italy. - The program is described as "Beauty in Action" and is expected to run about two and a half hours. - Performers listed include Italian ballet star Roberto Bolle, DJ Gabry Ponte, singer Achille Lauro and actress Benedetta Porcaroli. - NBC will air a live broadcast with hosts Terry Gannon, Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir; Mike Tirico, Andrea Joyce and Lewis Johnson are also listed as contributors. - An encore presentation will air at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. - U.S. flag bearers Hilary Knight and Evan Bates are noted as among those in attendance; Knight earned a second Olympic gold and became the U.S. all-time leading Olympic goal scorer, and Bates won two medals and is the first figure skater since Scott Hamilton in 1980 to serve as a U.S. flag bearer. Summary: The ceremony will formally close the Milan Cortina Games and combine athletic celebration with cultural performance. As part of the program, the Olympic flag will be handed to a representative of the French Alps, the host region for the 2030 Winter Olympics, followed by the extinguishing of the cauldrons.