Anti-’Israel’ rapper to perform at 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Milan-born rapper Ghali will join global icons like Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli to perform at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony on February 6 at San Siro Stadium.
- The selection has triggered backlash from Italy’s right-wing League party due to Ghali’s vocal pro-Palestinian activism, though Sports Minister Andrea Abodi defended the choice by emphasizing the Olympics' apolitical nature.
Italian rapper Ghali is set to perform at the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on February 6 at San Siro Stadium in Milan.
The event will feature international stars including Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini, and pianist Lang Lang, aiming to blend music with Olympic spectacle.
Ghali, born Ghali Amdouni in Milan to Tunisian parents, is celebrated as "the voice of multicultural Italy."
He raps in a mix of Milanese slang, French, and Arabic, with hits like "Ninna nanna" (over 133 million YouTube views) and collaborations with Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, and Måneskin. His 2017 track "Habibi" featured in FIFA 19.
The announcement has sparked controversy in Italy due to Ghali's pro-Palestinian activism.
In 2024 at the Sanremo festival, he urged audiences to "stop the genocide" in reference to ‘Israel's’ assault on Gaza, drawing criticism from Jewish leaders and ‘Israel's’ former ambassador to Italy.
On X, he has referred to the assault as a "new Holocaust" and criticized artists for not speaking out.
Members of Italy's right-wing League party, part of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition, have condemned the choice.
A League source called Ghali a "pro-Palestinian fanatic" who "hates Israel and the centre-right," arguing Italy "deserves an artist, not a pro-Pal fanatic."
Sports Minister Andrea Abodi acknowledged disagreement with Ghali's views but stressed the Olympics are apolitical.
"I believe that a country must be able to absorb the impact of an artist who has expressed an opinion that we do not share, which will not be expressed on that stage," he said.
