Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics: opening ceremony time, where to watch, and key schedule dates

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina officially opened Friday, February 6, 2026, with an unusual, multi-site celebration that split the spotlight between Milan and the Dolomites. The format is designed to match how these Games are staged: spread across northern Italy rather than concentrated in a single Olympic park.

If you’re trying to find the opening ceremony time, where the Winter Olympics are this year, and how to follow the schedule and results, here’s what matters most right now—using Eastern Time (ET).

Where are the 2026 Winter Olympics?

The 2026 Winter Olympics are hosted in Italy, anchored by Milan (a major city hub) and Cortina d’Ampezzo (a mountain resort area). Events are distributed across multiple northern Italian locations, reflecting the “Milano Cortina” concept rather than one compact host city.

You’ll see venues tied to:

• Milan for ceremonies and several indoor events

• Cortina and surrounding alpine zones for snow sports

• Additional northern-Italy sites supporting ski, sliding, and other disciplines

Opening ceremony: time, venue, and what made it different

The opening ceremony took place Friday, February 6, 2026, centered at San Siro Stadium in Milan, with parallel celebration elements in other host locations.

Opening ceremony start time: 2:00 p.m. ET (Friday, Feb. 6)
That corresponds to an evening start in Italy.

A few elements stood out this year:

• A “twinned” approach that emphasized both the urban and mountain identities of the host region

• A high-profile musical segment featuring Mariah Carey, which became one of the ceremony’s most searched moments

• A format that leaned into the geographic spread of the Games rather than trying to hide it

Where to watch the Winter Olympics

How you watch depends on your country’s broadcast rights. In most places, coverage is split between:

• A primary national broadcast partner (television)

• A companion streaming option operated by the same rights-holder

• Official highlight clips and daily recaps published by Olympic media operations

If you want the simplest path: search your local TV guide for “Winter Olympics Milano Cortina 2026,” then confirm whether your provider’s streaming app carries the live channels and replays. For viewers outside the U.S., your national Olympic broadcaster typically publishes a day-by-day viewing plan during the first weekend of competition.

One important note for cable vs. streaming: some live sessions may be available only on dedicated event channels or on a streaming-only feed, especially for early rounds and smaller venues.

Winter Olympics schedule and results: key dates and first medals

The Games run from February 6 to February 22, 2026 (ET), though some competitions and preliminary rounds began before the opening ceremony. The first medals are awarded early in the first full weekend, and the busiest stretch usually comes mid-Games as alpine events, sliding sports, and arena finals overlap.

Here are the core dates most viewers track:

For “schedule and results,” the most reliable approach is to follow the official results hub (updated in real time by session), then cross-check with your broadcaster’s daily programming grid, since the TV schedule often reshuffles around medal events.

Winter Olympic sports: what’s on the program in 2026

Milano Cortina features the standard Winter Olympic lineup across ice and snow, and it also includes ski mountaineering (often called “skimo”) as a new addition that has attracted extra attention from endurance and alpine audiences.

Expect the usual viewing peaks around:

• Alpine skiing speed events

• Figure skating finals

• Ice hockey knockout rounds

• Sliding sports (luge, bobsleigh, skeleton)

• Snowboard and freestyle finals

What to watch next this weekend

With the ceremony complete, the storyline quickly shifts to the first champions, surprise early exits, and weather-driven schedule tweaks in mountain venues. If you’re tracking specific events, prioritize:

• The first medal sessions (Saturday, Feb. 7)

• Team sports group play (which can start earlier than many expect)

• Any schedule changes posted on the official results service and reflected in updated TV grids

Sources consulted: International Olympic Committee, Reuters, Associated Press, NBC Sports