The Olympic torch relay for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics commenced in Rome at the Stadio dei Marmi and begins a two-month route covering more than 12,000 kilometers and passing 60 UNESCO sites including St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pantheon, the Imperial Forums and the Trevi Fountain.Giancarlo Peris started the ceremony, Sergio Mattarella lit the torch named "Essential" that is made from recycled materials and certified ReMade class A, and Giovanni Malagò and the Milan-Cortina Foundation presented the first torchbearers Gregorio Paltrinieri, Elisa Di Francisca, Gianmarco Tamberi and Achille Polonara among 164 participants.Andrea Varnier said about 850,000 tickets have been sold, organizers reported that the Santagiulia Arena and the Rho Fiera venue still require work, and promotions including Black Friday and €8.00 lift-pass deals aim to boost local demand ahead of the Games.