2026 Olympics Opening and Closing Ceremony Flag Bearers

[sissy7]

This time the Parade of Nations during the Opening Ceremony will be happening across 4 locations, there is a high number of skaters(not just figure skaters, but speed skaters and short track skaters as well) are expected to be flag bearers in the Milan Parade.
I made this list so I can be on the lookout during the family watch-along, please enjoy:

NOC entering order (Italian alphabet listing)	Country	Athlete	Discipline
6	ARM	Karina AKOPOVA Nikita RAKHMANIN	Pairs	Thanks @Andrea82
9	AZE	Vladimir LITVINTSEV	Men	Thanks @saine
15	BUL	Alexandra FEIGIN	Women
22	KOR	CHA Jun-hwan	Men
31	GEO	Diana DAVIES Luka BERULAVA	Ice Dance Pairs	Thanks @saine
35	GBR	Lila FEAR	Ice Dance	Thanks @saine
43	ISR	Mariia SENIUK	Women
51	LTU	Alison REED Saulius AMBRULEVICIUS	Ice Dance	Thanks @saine
58	MEX	Donovan CARRILLO	Men
71	ROU	Julia SAUTER	Women
77	ESP	Olivia SMART	Ice Dance
81	TPE Taiwan	LI Yu-Hsiang	Men	added after the fact, sorry Thank @Zed456

Update 21 Feb
I feel that I have no choice but to add a list for the Closing Ceremony as well. Thanks to whoever changed the thread name for me!
As we old Olympics fans know, at the Closing Ceremony, the athletes all walk in together, and the only national distinctions are what athletes wear and the few honoured to bear the flag. Most NOCs choose their best-performing athletes or honour retiring greats in their sport. Unclear if some NOCs would repeat from the Opening Ceremony.
As there will not be an announcement for each country, I chose to use the same order as the NOCs entered in the Opening:

Italian Olympic listing	Country	Athlete	Discipline
28	EST	Niina PETROKINA	Women	@saine
30	FIN	Iida KARHUNEN	Women	@TT_Fin
31	GEO	Luka BERULVA	Pairs	@saine
34	JPN	SAKAMOTO Kaori	Women	@DemTuppesSeine
44	KAZ	Mihail SHAIDOROV	Men	@saine
51	LTU	Meda VARIAKOJTE	Women	@saine
58	MEX	Donovan CARRILLO	Men	@saine
71	ROU	Julia SAUTER	Women	@saine
90	USA	Evan BATES	Ice Dance	@el henry

 

[sissy7]

I expect more to be announced as we get closer, so I will add them as well.
I didn't count on the participants of the Team Event to be flag bearers in the Opening, but as we see with Junhwan, anything is possible

 

[4everchan]

I expect more to be announced as we get closer, so I will add them as well.
I didn't count on the participants of the Team Event to be flag bearers in the Opening, but as we see with Junhwan, anything is possible

It's not guaranteed Jun will take part in the team event though.

 

[sissy7]

It's not guaranteed Jun will take part in the team event though.

True

 

[4everchan]

True

But knowing the korean fed, they will make him skate

 

[saine]

Full list is here - https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-...amed-for-milano-cortina-2026-opening-ceremony

Canada's flag bearers will be announced tomorrow at 10 AM ET.

 

[4everchan]

Canada's
Mikael Kingsbury (moguls)
Marielle Thompson (skicross)

 

[Arigato]

Canada's
Mikael Kingsbury (moguls)
Marielle Thompson (skicross)

Kingsbury is king of the moguls. Love the guy. Love the sport.

 

[TontoK]

Kingsbury is king of the moguls. Love the guy. Love the sport.

Freestyle skiing is one of those sports that has me riveted to the television during the Olympics, and I never watch or keep up with it any other time.

Ditto for ski jumping, and to a lesser extent, biathlon. You'd think biathlon would be my favorite winter sport. Speed, endurance, and target shooting all in one. It just doesn't make it into the sports news often here in the USA, and I don't have the time to keep up with it otherwise.

 

[NanaPat]

Freestyle skiing is one of those sports that has me riveted to the television during the Olympics, and I never watch or keep up with it any other time.

Ditto for ski jumping, and to a lesser extent, biathlon. You'd think biathlon would be my favorite winter sport. Speed, endurance, and target shooting all in one. It just doesn't make it into the sports news often here in the USA, and I don't have the time to keep up with it otherwise.

You need to join a biathalon discussion board!

 

[Arigato]

Freestyle skiing is one of those sports that has me riveted to the television during the Olympics, and I never watch or keep up with it any other time.

Ditto for ski jumping, and to a lesser extent, biathlon. You'd think biathlon would be my favorite winter sport. Speed, endurance, and target shooting all in one. It just doesn't make it into the sports news often here in the USA, and I don't have the time to keep up with it otherwise.

I started skiing as a teen so I have followed it for many years. This 2026 Olympics is the first one to have the dual moguls event. (This event has been around a long time and it's fun to watch - but never at the Olympics until now.) You might like it:

https://www.powder.com/skiers/what-is-dual-moguls-olympic-skiing

 

[saine]

Georgia announced Luka Berulava and Diana Davis for their flagbearers.

 

[4everchan]

Georgia announced Luka Berulava and Diana Davis for their flagbearers.

they do whatever they want to do... but I find this weird...

let me give you the Canadian equivalent...

Canada chooses Paul Poirer and Deanna Stellato-Dudek as flag bearers.

How would Piper and Max feel ?

And of course, Diana is Georgian only after being Russian and American..

OH.. WELL.

 

[Andrea82]

Updated list includes Karina Akopova and Nikita Rakhmani for Armenia
(for whatever reason, the equivalent page in English is not as updated)

https://www.olympics.com/it/milano-cortina-2026/notizie/tutti-portabandiera-cerimonia-apertura-olimpiadi-milano-cortina-2026

 

[CoyoteChris]

Freestyle skiing is one of those sports that has me riveted to the television during the Olympics, and I never watch or keep up with it any other time.

Ditto for ski jumping, and to a lesser extent, biathlon. You'd think biathlon would be my favorite winter sport. Speed, endurance, and target shooting all in one. It just doesn't make it into the sports news often here in the USA, and I don't have the time to keep up with it otherwise.

As a cross country skier and target shooter, I marvel at what the biathlon athletes can do, but the guns are too "out there" for me.
I long for those heady days of Olys 1960 Squaw valley when military rifles were used. And the ranges went out to 250 meters. This ad is kinda funny....I have owned plenty of Model 1891 and 91/30 Mosin nagants and the actual rifles used at the 1960 Olys were highly modified. But it is also true the Finns would take these Russian rifles , mostly pre-1930s, and make highly accurate battle rifles out of them and use them at the Olys.

 

[Kittosuni]

they do whatever they want to do... but I find this weird...

let me give you the Canadian equivalent...

Canada chooses Paul Poirer and Deanna Stellato-Dudek as flag bearers.

How would Piper and Max feel ?

And of course, Diana is Georgian only after being Russian and American..

OH.. WELL.

Like Deanna who is American first before becoming recently Canadian.

 

[16Olympics]

I hope Evan Bates is the US flag bearer. This is his 5th Olympics but it may depend on the team event.

 

[16Olympics]

they do whatever they want to do... but I find this weird...

let me give you the Canadian equivalent...

Canada chooses Paul Poirer and Deanna Stellato-Dudek as flag bearers.

How would Piper and Max feel ?

And of course, Diana is Georgian only after being Russian and American..

OH.. WELL.

Not surprised in the least.....but whatevs.....

 

[4everchan]

Like Deanna who is American first before becoming recently Canadian.

That's a fair comment. I think my problem is mostly that they broke up the partnerships, as if someone was worth more than the other in their respective partnerships. I guess maybe it is that for them.

 

[SmileHappy34]

There alot of figure skaters as flag bearers. I don't recall a winter Olympics with so many.