The 2026 Winter Olympics Start Date is officially set for Friday, February 6, 2026, when the Games will begin with a grand opening ceremony in Milan, Italy. Known as the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, the event will continue until Sunday, February 22, 2026, followed by the Winter Paralympics scheduled to take place in March.
2026 Winter Olympics Start Date Opening Ceremony Details
The opening ceremony is scheduled to take place at the historic San Siro Stadium in Milan. The event will follow the theme “Armonia” (Harmony), which aims to highlight Italy’s cultural heritage, history, and modern innovation. The ceremony is set to begin at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, which is approximately 8:00 p.m. local time in Milan. Like most Olympic ceremonies, it is expected to last about three hours and will include traditional elements such as the Parade of Nations and the lighting of the Olympic flame.
Early Competitions and Full Schedule
Although the official opening ceremony is on February 6, several sporting events will begin earlier on Wednesday, February 4. These early competitions will include curling, luge, snowboarding, Alpine skiing, and women’s ice hockey.
The first medal events are scheduled for Saturday, February 7. Some of the major competitions include the men’s downhill skiing event, women’s 3000-meter speed skating, men’s Big Air snowboarding, and women’s ski jumping on the normal hill. These events will take place in Bormio and other venues located throughout the Milano–Cortina region.
How to Watch on TV and Streaming
In the United States, viewers can watch the opening ceremony and major Olympic events on NBC. Complete coverage of the Games will also be available through Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
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The opening ceremony will be broadcast live at 2:00 p.m. ET. NBC and Peacock will also present a special prime-time encore broadcast at 8:00 p.m. ET. Peacock will stream most of the Olympic competitions, while NBC’s television channels will focus on major live events, including medal competitions and popular sports such as figure skating.
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