The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina will be an event that many American fans will be tuning into. With a roster of 232 athletes, Team USA is fielding its largest Winter Games team since 2018. This strength in numbers is matched by extraordinary depth of experience, featuring 98 returning Olympians, 33 athletes who are already Olympic medalists, and 18 who have already won gold.

Similarly, the selection of flag bearers for the Olympic Opening Ceremony represents a profound honor. At the Winter Games, this tradition continues as Team USA will be led into Milan’s San Siro Olympic Stadium by two prominent Olympians.

Meet the 2026 Team USA flag bearers

Speedskating Olympic champion Erin Jackson and bobsled Olympian Frank Del Duca have been selected by a vote of their teammates to serve as Team USA’s flag bearers for the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games.

So, the duo will lead the U.S. delegation into the Milano San Siro Olympic Stadium.

Erin Jackson, trailblazing speed skating champion

Erin Jackson is a two-time Olympian and defending Olympic champion with a remarkable career. Her major achievement came at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, where she won gold in the women’s 500m event. It was a time of 37.04 seconds, with a tiny margin of just 0.08 seconds.

With the gold medal in her hands, she made Olympic history, becoming the first Black woman ever to win the accolade in an individual sport at the Winter Olympics. Jackson also became the first American woman to win the event since Bonnie Blair in 1994. But it came with a small sacrifice.

Her teammate, Brittany Bowe, made a selfless act at the U.S. Trials and gave the spot to Jackson. Well, Jackson had a slip on the straightaway, which made Bowe “not feel victorious at all.”

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So, Jackson’s fellow athlete made the biggest decision, stating, “I thought she earned it and she deserved it over her performance from the first four World Cups. And, you know, just hoping to give her a little bit of comfort and peace of mind to get a couple minutes of sleep that night, knowing that if I had anything to do it, she’d be going to Beijing.”

Fast forward to 2026, and it’s the 33-year-old’s moment to represent Team USA in an unique way. “Being chosen to represent the United States on the world stage is a tremendous honor,” Jackson said.

“It’s a moment that reflects far more than one individual – it represents my family, my teammates, my hometown, and everyone across the country who believes in the power of sport. The Olympics remind us of the power of sport to connect and inspire, and I’m proud to carry that forward on the Olympic stage.”

Frank Del Duca, bobsledder & U.S. Army Sergeant

Frank Del Duca is an American bobsled pilot, U.S. Army sergeant, and one of Team USA’s flag bearers at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Hailing from Bethel, Maine, Del Duca is a multi-sport athlete whose early prowess as a state champion slalom skier in high school led him to bobsled.

He joined the U.S. Army in 2019 and serves as an infantryman in the Army’s World Class Athlete Program, which supports his elite training. Del Duca made his Olympic debut at the Beijing Games in 2022, and he will compete in his second Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. His selection as a flag bearer, decided by a vote of fellow athletes, holds personal significance given his strong Italian heritage.

“Being flag bearer for Team USA is an incredible honor. It was also quite the surprise. I’m grateful for the support from my teammates, coaches and staff, Team USA, U.S. Army WCAP, family and friends, and everyone who has helped me on this journey,” he said.

“With the Olympic Games being held in Italy, it means even more. Nearly everyone in my family is of Italian descent. There is no greater honor than leading Team USA into the Opening Ceremony in Italy. It feels like a bridge between my family’s heritage, and the country I’m so proud to serve. I know my grandfather is watching over me saying, ‘Hey, Frangesch, way to go kid,’ and would be so proud.”

How are US Olympic flag bearers selected?

The flag bearers who lead the U.S. Olympic team into the Opening Ceremony are chosen through a democratic process led by the athletes themselves. Indeed, Team USA athletes vote to select the individuals they believe best represent the spirit and values of the delegation.

This athlete-driven election is overseen by the Team USA Athletes’ Commission. And there are various criteria that these athletes need to follow to become a suitable nominee.

Indeed, at first, for an athlete to be eligible to be a flag bearer, they must be willing to accept the nomination, plan to participate in the ceremony, be an accredited athlete, and be in the country as per the Organizing Committee (OCOG) period of stay guidelines.

For an athlete to be the voting representative for the Opening Ceremony, they must be an athlete rather than the nominee and be willing to participate fully in each round of voting.

The selection process sees the athletes given the opportunity to indicate if they would like to be considered for nomination as the flag bearer, and they can also nominate each other. The named team for the Delegation Event will then vote for two flag bearer nominees, and the two people of different gender identities with the highest number of votes will be the IMS/NGB flag bearer nominees.

However, the entire process is conducted twice for each Games, i.e., for the Opening Ceremony and the Closing Ceremony. Then, the team leader or other identified IMS/NGB staff member is instructed to submit the name, email address, and phone number of the flagbearer nominees to Team USA AC staff.

There are further instructions too, such as they have to upload a 2-minute personal video or statement describing why they would be the best ambassador of Team USA to carry the flag. Then comes the crucial part.

The voting takes place in the USOPC Delegation App. Representatives may not vote for their own nominees in the first round, but they must vote for two people from different gender identities in each round. And any candidate who secures 51% or more of the votes in a round will be selected as a flag bearer and removed from subsequent rounds of voting.

When and where is the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony?

The Opening Ceremony for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics is scheduled for Friday, February 6, 2026. It will be held at Milan’s San Siro Olympic Stadium, and the event will feature classic Olympic traditions, including the Parade of Nations, where flag bearers like Team USA’s Erin Jackson and Frank Del Duca lead athletes into the stadium. They will also partake in the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.

The current edition of the Games will make history by simultaneously lighting two Olympic cauldrons, one in Milan and another in Cortina d’Ampezzo, which will symbolize unity between the two host cities.