Exhibition Gala Olympics: exhibition gala olympics bring top skaters back to Milan Cortina
The Exhibition Gala Olympics returns as a no-judges celebration of figure skating, offering fans a two-and-a-half-hour showcase that highlights the sport’s artistic side. The event features many top five finishers in each discipline, a broad music mix, and a staged opening led by Carolina Kostner followed by the 2026 Milan Cortina team event gold medalists Team USA.
Exhibition Gala Olympics lineup and opening
The program will open with Carolina Kostner, identified in coverage as the beloved Italian 2014 Olympic bronze medalist, followed by Team USA, the 2026 Milan Cortina team event gold medalists. Many of the top five finishers in each discipline are scheduled to skate in the two-and-a-half-hour extravaganza, offering audiences another glance at leading competitors without the constraints of competition judging.
Stars, style and music choices
With no judges and no rules, skaters are expected to lean into personality and performance. The lineup named several of the era’s most visible athletes, including Ilia Malinin, Alysa Liu, and Madison Chock and Evan Bates. Performances will span a wide range of music, from pop and classical to contemporary soundtracks, with selections noted as including Lady Gaga, Pavarotti and the soundtrack of KPop Demon hunters.
Timing, format and viewing windows
The exhibition begins at 2 p. m. ET and runs roughly two and a half hours. It will be streamed live online, and portions of the event will air on broadcast television starting at 2: 55 p. m. ET. The combination of a full live stream and a later broadcast window is positioned to give fans access to the complete show and to condensed coverage on air.
Analysis: The event’s structure — an extended, judge-free showcase starting at 2 p. m. ET with many top-five finishers on the ice — emphasizes entertainment and final public appearances for medal contenders. Given the stated running time and the breadth of the lineup, viewers can expect a compact but varied program that foregrounds choreography, musical storytelling and crowd-facing moments over technical scoring.
Forward look: If the announced participants skate as outlined, the gala will serve as a capstone showcase for the Olympic field in Milan Cortina, giving audiences a last, unstructured look at leading skaters and a broad menu of musical and stylistic choices. The split between a full live stream and a later broadcast segment provides two complementary viewing options for different audience preferences.
