Greece on Thursday held the Olympic flame handover ceremony for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Winter Games at the historic Panathenaic Stadium in Athens.

Torchbearer, Eleni Xenaki, lights the cauldron with Olympic flame during the Olympic flame handover ceremony for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Panathenaic stadium in Athens, Greece, Dec. 4, 2025. (Photo by Marios Lolos/Xinhua)

The flame was carried into the stadium by world wrestling champion Georgios Kougioumtsidis, who then passed it to Italy's Olympic champion Jasmine Paolini and cyclist Filippo Ganna, symbolizing the long-standing ties between Greece, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, and Italy, host nation of the upcoming Winter Olympics.

World water polo champion Eleni Xenaki then received the flame and, together with her teammates from Greece's national team, lit the ceremonial cauldron inside the marble stadium, known as Kallimarmaro.

At the ceremony, Isidoros Kouvelos, president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, said the flame's journey across Greece had inspired communities nationwide and embodied the values of hope, unity and continuity. He noted that the handover marked the transition of the flame to "a new chapter" as it travels to Italy.

Giovanni Malago, president of the Milan-Cortina organizing committee, thanked Greece for its custodianship of Olympic traditions and said Italy was prepared to "write the next chapter of Olympic history." He added that the flame carries a message of courage and resilience as it begins its relay across Italy.

The ceremony featured musical performances, including a rendition of "Asteromata" by Greek singer Klavdia, adding a cultural element to the handover ritual.

The Olympic flame will now travel to Italy, where it will begin its relay across the regions of Lombardy and Veneto in the lead-up to the 2026 Winter Games.