Milano Cortina 2026: opening ceremony time, start date, schedule basics, and how to watch

The 2026 Winter Olympics officially open Friday, Feb. 6, with a prime-time ceremony in Milan that lands mid-afternoon in North America. But the Games’ calendar starts moving earlier: select sessions and official trainings begin Wednesday, Feb. 4, as organizers ramp up across a wide, multi-venue footprint that stretches from Milan’s stadiums to mountain sites near Cortina.

When do the Olympics start in 2026?

The Winter Games run Feb. 6–22, 2026 (ET), with select competition and official sessions starting Feb. 4. That early start is common when formats require more rounds (or formal training windows) before medal events.

If you’re trying to plan viewing, it helps to treat the week in two phases:

• Feb. 4–5: early sessions, trainings, and the first competitive rounds in select sports

• Feb. 6–22: full program, including medal events daily and the marquee ceremonies

Opening ceremony Olympics 2026 time (ET)

The opening ceremony is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, at 20:00 local time in Italy, which converts to 2:00 p.m. ET. Many viewers will also have access to a prime-time encore presentation at 8:00 p.m. ET the same night, which is useful if you can’t watch live—but it increases the odds you’ll see clips and highlights before you sit down.

Here’s the quick timing sheet in Eastern Time:

Where are the Olympics in 2026?

Milano Cortina is a true “two-hub” Olympics, with events spread across northern Italy rather than concentrated in one compact cluster. The biggest anchors are:

• Milan for major ceremonies and several indoor sports

• Cortina d’Ampezzo and nearby mountain venues for alpine and sliding events

You’ll also see key competition sites in the broader region (including Livigno, Predazzo, and Antholz-Anterselva), which is why start times can feel scattered—different sports are effectively running on different local rhythms across a wide map.

Olympic schedule: the easiest way to use it

Instead of relying on one giant printable calendar, most fans have better results using a “day view” plus sport filters. That approach helps because:

• start times can shift (especially for outdoor events affected by snow, wind, or visibility),

• qualification rounds may matter as much as finals (especially in sliding and freestyle),

• and multiple sessions can overlap heavily.

Two practical tips to stay oriented:

• Use the daily schedule view to spot medal sessions first, then backfill qualifiers you care about.

• Follow one sport at a time if you’re watching live; the overlap is constant during peak days.

Where to watch Winter Olympics in the U.S. and Canada

Broadcast rights are country-specific, but the structure is similar in both places: a main television feed for the biggest moments, and a streaming product for full-session coverage and replays.

• United States: Look for the Games on the national rights-holder’s broadcast network and its companion streaming service. Prime-time will usually package highlights, while streaming is the best way to watch full events start-to-finish.

• Canada: Coverage is carried by Canada’s public broadcaster, with a free streaming app that typically offers the deepest menu (multiple live feeds, replays, and sport-by-sport browsing).

If your goal is “no spoilers,” live viewing at 2:00 p.m. ET for the opening ceremony is the cleanest option. If you prefer the prime-time version, consider staying off social feeds between late afternoon and your watch time.

What to expect in the first weekend

The first weekend (Feb. 7–9) is usually when the Games “feel real” for casual viewers: early medals, viral moments, and the first major upsets. With venues split across regions, you’ll likely see:

• morning-to-midday ET windows for many mountain events,

• afternoon ET coverage that mixes live sessions and packaged highlights,

• and evening ET prime-time recaps that emphasize finals and Team storylines.

Sources consulted: International Olympic Committee, Milano Cortina 2026 Official Ticketing, NBC Olympics, CBC Sports