Milan Cortina 2026: When Is the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony?

It’s almost time for the XXV Winter Olympic Games, so put on some music and raise your flag! The Opening Ceremony is always a highlight of the Olympics, regardless of your favourite sport or event.

During the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony, athletes from all competing countries will gather to represent their teams in the Parade of Nations, while the host city puts on a spectacular spectacle that typically includes performances and pyrotechnics. It all culminates in the lighting of the Olympic cauldron, which signals the formal opening of the Games (even though a few preparatory events have previously taken place).

This year, TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie and co-host Terry Gannon will lead coverage of the event, with Olympic snowboarding great Shaun White joining them in the commentary booth.

“The Olympics have been such a huge part of my life, and to return in this new role — celebrating the athletes, the energy, and the incredible backdrop of Italy — is truly an honour,” White said in a news release. “I know what that moment means when the world is watching, and I can’t wait to help bring that magic to everyone at home.”

Read on to find out when the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony will take place and how you can watch it all from home.

When is the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony?

Mark your calendars! The 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony will be held on Friday, February 6, primarily at Milan’s iconic San Siro Stadium.

At the same time, athlete processions will take place at competition grounds in Predazzo, Livigno, and Cortina d’Ampezzo. For the first time, there will be two cauldrons: one in Milan’s Arco della Pace and another in the Piazza Dibona in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Watch the 2026 Winter Olympics on Peacock!

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games will take place in Milan from February 6 to 22, and you can watch them all from your couch!

Peacock streams every event at the Games live and on-demand. With features like Multiview and Rinkside Live, you don’t just watch the tournament; you experience it. Here’s how.

Multiview: allows you to watch multiple live Olympic activities on the same screen. Discovery Multiview allows you to watch up to four different sporting events at the same time. Meanwhile, Traditional Multiview shows the action within a single activity (such as curling or hockey), providing a unique perspective.
Rinkside Live: provides a dynamic vertical view on your phone, as well as live highlights and several camera views, in addition to the standard broadcast. If you’re watching on your TV, iPad, or laptop, Rinkside allows you to see all camera views at once.
may’t Miss Highlights: accessible on the Peacock mobile app, where users may swipe through vertical stories like on Instagram to get brief recaps of the Games or other major events.
Gold Zone: offers “whip around” coverage of the Winter Games’ most exciting moments, providing live updates on everything going on in Milan.
Prediction Games: an interactive experience in which you can make predictions, track results, and more. You may also test your Olympic knowledge on mobile with trivia questions about history, sports, athletes, and interesting topics. To have access to these features during the Games, go to the Olympics centre on Peacock.

What time does the 2026 Winter Olympics’ Opening Ceremony begin?

The Opening Ceremony will be broadcast live at 2 p.m. ET, with primetime coverage beginning at 8 p.m. ET on both NBC and Peacock.

Who will perform at the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony?

The Olympics wouldn’t be complete without at least one international diva, and Mariah Carey will sing this year. “Mariah Carey fully represents the emotional atmosphere that accompanies the run-up to the Games,” the local Olympic organisation stated in a statement. “Music is a universal language that attracts different stories and sensibilities, and intertwines with the opening ceremony’s theme of harmony.”

Andrea Bocelli, Pierfrancesco Favino, Laura Pausini, and Sabrina Impacciatore, star of The Paper, will also perform at the opening ceremony.

How to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony

Both NBC and Peacock will air complete coverage of the Opening Ceremony and Games, so make sure to check in on February 6 and beyond to see all of the action.