MILAN CORTINA, Italy — The 2026 Winter Olympics plunged into darkness before they even officially began.

In a stunning prelude to Friday's Opening Ceremony, a sudden power outage Wednesday halted curling matches and delayed luge training, throwing the Games into disarray and raising questions about infrastructure readiness.

Athletes stood frozen on the ice as lights flickered out during competition, with Olympic officials scrambling to restore power in what they described as an "energy-related issue" that lasted approximately three minutes—though the disruption rippled through multiple venues.

"We were ready to compete, then everything went black," said one curling athlete who requested anonymity. "It's not how you want to start the Olympics."

The timing couldn't be more dramatic: Just 48 hours before Mariah Carey takes the stage to headline the $100 million Opening Ceremony, the Games are already battling technical failures that threaten to overshadow the global spectacle.

Mariah Carey (pictured in August) will headline the Opening Ceremony amid power outage controversies. Samir Hussein/WireImage

Carey—the "Queen of Christmas"—tops a star-studded lineup including Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini, and Chinese pianist Lang Lang for what organizers promise will be "the most watched ceremony in Winter Olympics history."

But behind the glitter, concerns mount. The luge training session was delayed 30 minutes, while social media erupted with memes of "Olympic darkness" and questions about whether Italy's aging power grid can handle the global event.

"This is exactly what keeps organizers up at night," said sports analyst Marco Rossi. "A three-minute outage during curling might seem minor, but when you're dealing with billions of viewers and athletes who train for years, every second counts."

The incident comes as athletes prepare for Friday's Parade of Nations and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron by torchbearers including Heated Rivalry stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams.

With the Games broadcasting on NBC and Peacock through February 22, all eyes will be on whether organizers can keep the lights on—literally—for what's meant to be a celebration of global unity.

Follow our live coverage for updates on the power situation and Opening Ceremony preparations.