The 2026 Winter Olympics officially ran from February 6 through February 22, 2026, with events held across Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo and several other host venues throughout northern Italy. Over more than two weeks, the Milano Cortina Games showcased the world’s top athletes competing in figure skating, alpine skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey, speed skating, cross-country skiing and more.
Because events were held in Central European Time, many competitions aired live for U.S. viewers in the early morning or midday hours, with select marquee events rebroadcast in primetime. Below, find the full 2026 Winter Olympics schedule, including key dates, start times and details on how to watch or stream each competition.
When Does the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony Take Place?
The 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony took place on Friday, February 6, 2026, in Milan, Italy. The celebration began at 8 p.m. local time (CET), which aired live at 2 p.m. ET in the United States, officially kicking off the Milano Cortina Games with a night of performances, pageantry and the traditional Parade of Nations.
How to Watch or Stream the Opening Ceremony Live
In the U.S., the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony aired live on NBC and stream on Peacock, with additional coverage available through the NBC Sports app and NBCOlympics.com. For viewers who missed the live broadcast, NBC also aired a primetime encore at 8 p.m. ET later that evening.
2026 Winter Olympics Schedule
The 2026 Winter Olympics run Feb. 6 – 22, 2026, with some competitions beginning a few days earlier on Feb. 4 and Feb. 5. Here’s an organized look at key event blocks and when major competitions occur (all times subject to change as official daily start lists are finalized):
Before the Opening Ceremony
- Feb. 4–5: Early competition kicks off with curling mixed doubles and women’s ice hockey preliminary games beginning ahead of the Opening Ceremony.
Opening Day
Ice Hockey
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Feb. 5–22: Women’s tournament begins early, followed by men’s competition, with medal games held during the final weekend.
Figure Skating
- Feb. 6–19: Competitions including team event, ice dance, singles, and pairs programs unfold across this window.
Snowboarding
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Feb. 6–21: Events include slopestyle, halfpipe, snowboard cross, big air, and parallel giant slalom.
Alpine Skiing
Speed Skating
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Feb. 7–21: Speed skating races, including distance and sprint events, are contested at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium.
Luge
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Feb. 7–12: Luge runs in men’s, women’s, doubles, and team relay take place at the Cortina Sliding Centre.
Skeleton
Bobsleigh
Ski Mountaineering
Closing Ceremony
Fans can find the full, detailed, day-by-day event schedule — including exact start times and venues — on the official Olympics website.
