How to watch the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony
The Winter Olympics are upon us.
Four years after convening in Beijing, top athletes from around the world will head to Italy for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.
Milan Cortina marks Italy’s third time hosting the Winter Olympics, and it is also NBC’s eighth time as the broadcasting home of the Winter Olympics.
How and when will Milan Cortina kick off the Winter Games? Here’s a look at what to expect and how you can tune into the event:
What time does the Olympics Opening Ceremony start?
With the United States’ Eastern Standard Time being six hours behind the Central European Time Zone, it’s going to be an early afternoon and morning for those in the U.S. who want to watch the ceremony live.
Coverage of the 2026 Olympics Opening Ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT on Friday, Feb. 6, on NBC, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
There will also be a primetime re-air of the Opening Ceremony on NBC beginning at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
| Date/time | Show | Where to watch |
| Friday, Feb. 6, 11 a.m. ET | Opening Ceremony LIVE | NBC | Peacock | NBCOlympics.com |
| Friday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m. PT | Opening Ceremony Primetime | NBC | Peacock | NBCOlympics.com |
Olympics Opening Ceremony TV schedule
Live coverage of the Milan Cortina Olympics Opening Ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
The Opening Ceremony will re-air in an enhanced presentation on NBC and Peacock from 8-11 p.m. ET. The primetime edition will include a greater focus on Team USA athletes along with the ceremony’s performances, Parade of Nations and more.
How can I watch the Opening Ceremony without cable?
The Olympics Opening Ceremony can be streamed on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, the NBC app and the NBC Sports app.
Authenticated users can also stream all Opening Ceremony coverage on NBCOlympics.com and in the NBC Sports app.
Who is hosting NBC’s Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony coverage?
NBC Sports commentators Terry Gannon and Mary Carillo will host coverage of the Milan Cortina Olympics Opening Ceremony after TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie had to step aside with her mother missing.
Gannon and Carillo will be joined by American Winter Olympic icon Shaun White, who is on his first Opening Ceremony assignment after contributing to NBC Olympics’ coverage during the 2012 London Olympics and 2016 Rio Olympics.
Mike Tirico will contribute to Opening Ceremony coverage from 6,000 miles away, as he will be preparing to call Super Bowl LX for NBC on Sunday, Feb. 8, from Santa Clara, California, as part of the network’s “Legendary February.”
Where is the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony?
The Olympics Opening Ceremony will be held at Milan’s iconic San Siro Stadium. The stadium was built nearly 100 years ago and is home to two of Italy’s premier soccer clubs, A.C. Milan and Inter Milan.
Organizers have said the Milan Cortina Olympics will celebrate all competition venues in a unique way for the Opening Ceremony.
What happens during the Olympics Opening Ceremony?
While some events begin in the two days prior to the Opening Ceremony, the ceremony marks the official start of the Olympics.
Among the traditional events of the Opening Ceremony is the Parade of Nations, where competitors march into the stadium under their nation’s flag. There is also the raising of the host nation’s flag and singing of the host’s national anthem.
Another notable event is the lighting of the Olympic torch. The 2026 torch relay began in November, kicking off a traditional beginning in Greece. The torch arrived in the Italian capital of Rome in December and will continue traversing across the host country before lighting the Olympic cauldron in Milan on Feb. 6, 2026.
Mariah Carey is among the key performers for the Opening Ceremony, along with Italian actress Matilda De Angelis.
