Related video above: A look at the stadium hosting the 2026 Winter Games (NEXSTAR) – The Milan Cortina Olympics opening ceremony kicked off Friday night at San Siro stadium, the main venue for the highly anticipated spectacle. An estimated 60,000 people were expected to converge on Milan's landmark stadium, home to the country's beloved soccer teams AC Milan and Inter Milan. The three-hour event, which features the international Parade of Athletes and entertainment, is projected to be the most-watched moment of the Winter Games. The ceremony will make history by having two cauldrons – inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s geometric studies. One is located in Milan, at the Arco della Pace some 4 kilometers (2½ miles) from San Siro, and the other at Piazza Dibona in Cortina, some five hours and 400 kilometers (250 miles) away. The cauldrons will be lit simultaneously. In another Olympics first, four sites will take part in the opening ritual – along with San Siro, Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Dolomite mountains, Livigno in the Alps and Predazzo in the province of Trento will also feature. Stars slated to perform during the ceremony are pop star Mariah Carey and tenor Andrea Bocelli. Carey took the stage first, singing first in Italian and delighting the crowd with the iconic 1958 hit “Nel blu, dipinto di blu," which is also known for its chorus, "Volare." She the segued into her 2025 track "Nothing is Impossible." In addition to Carey and Bocelli, mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli, Italian singer Laura Pausini and concert pianist Lang Lang will perform. Italian actors Sabrina Impacciatore, who appeared in the second season of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” and actress Matilda De Angelis will also participate. The Associated Press contributed to this report.