MILAN, ITALY — The International Paralympic Committee is celebrating the biggest ever Paralympic Winter Games in history and a record female participation at Milan Cortina. The Games officially kicked off Friday with an opening ceremony that was boycotted by some nations because of the return of the Russian flag and national anthem to the global stage. The IPC said Thursday that a record number of 56 nations are bringing 616 athletes to compete across 79 medal events in six sports, surpassing the previous record of 564 athletes from 49 nations at Pyeongchang 2018.
Dancers perform during the opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Verona, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Dancers perform during the opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Verona, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) A dancer performs during the opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Verona, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Dancers perform during the opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Verona, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Dancers perform during the opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Verona, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Dancers are reflected during a performance at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Verona, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Italian musician and producer Dardust (C) and dancers perform during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games opening ceremony at Arena di Verona in Verona on March 6, 2026. (Photo by Stefano RELLANDINI / AFP via Getty Images) Italian musician and producer Dardust (C) and dancers perform during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games opening ceremony at Arena di Verona in Verona on March 6, 2026. (Photo by Stefano RELLANDINI / AFP via Getty Images) Italian wheelchair acrobat Marco Galli performs during in the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games opening ceremony at Arena di Verona in Verona on March 6, 2026. (Photo by Stefano RELLANDINI / AFP via Getty Images) Dancers perform during the opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Verona, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Dancers including wheelchair dancer Marco Galli (R) perform during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games opening ceremony at Arena di Verona in Verona on March 6, 2026. (Photo by Stefano RELLANDINI / AFP via Getty Images) Dancers perform during the opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Verona, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Dancers perform during the opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Verona, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Dancers perform during the opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Verona, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Dancers perform during the opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Verona, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) President of the Organising Committee for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Giovanni Malago (C), flanked by President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Kirsty Coventry (R), delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the San Siro stadium in Milan, northern Italy, on February 6, 2026. (Photo by Yves Herman / POOL / AFP via Getty Images) Italian athlete Francesca Porcellato rides on a wheelchair holding a Paralympic torch to light the Paralympic cauldron during the 2026 Winter Paralympics opening ceremony in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) Francesca Porcellato holds a Paralympic torch to light the Paralympic cauldron during the 2026 Winter Paralympics opening ceremony in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka) Italian fencer Beatrice Vio holds the Paralympic torch during the opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Verona, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Italian fencing paralympic athlete Bebe Vio holds the torch for the paralympic Milano Cortina 2026 winter games during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games opening ceremony at Arena di Verona in Verona on March 6, 2026. (Photo by Stefano RELLANDINI / AFP via Getty Images) Athletes from Russia enter during the opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Verona, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Athletes from the United States enter during the opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Verona, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Performers including Italian singer Mimi (C) and Italian music performer Ginevra Nervi take part in the Italian national anthem as Corazzieri stand (L) during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games opening ceremony at Arena di Verona in Verona on March 6, 2026. (Photo by Stefano RELLANDINI / AFP via Getty Images)