Milan Cortina, world bigwigs expected at San Siro ceremony: from Mattarella to Guterres, here's who will be there
San Siro is ready to host a global ceremony with heads of state, government and even the UN secretary
Key points
After the lunch and the speech to the Azzurri athletes, San Siro awaits Head of State Sergio Mattarella in the grandstand. In the centre and in the front row. But there will not only be the President of the Republic to attend the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina this evening in the red ring box of the stadium, transformed into a privileged stage for the spectacle.
Heads of State and more: there's also the UN Secretary
The ceremony will transform the San Siro stadium into the public square of the world, as well as the traditional sports stage. Not only athletes and choreographies, but a veritable crossroads of powers and international relations will crowd into the grandstand prepared for around fifty heads of state, heads of government - including, of course, Giorgia Meloni - and other high global officials, such as UN Secretary General António Guterres.
Alongside Mattarella, there will be Kirsty Coventry, President of the International Olympic Committee and the first woman at the helm of the global Olympic body, who will give further institutional significance to the ceremony.
Macron in maybe... for the seat next to Vance
However, even here the political dynamics emerge against the light - so much so that the participation of apex figures such as Emmanuel Macron remains in the balance, between official agenda incompatibilities and protocol discontents related to the seating arrangement alongside US Vice President Jd Vance.
From Princess Anne to the Emir of Qatar
The list of foreign dignitaries is long. From Princess Anne of the United Kingdom, with her personal Olympic history and family in tow, to European monarchs and presidents, to figures such as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar.
