When Do The Olympics End? Here’s What Time the 2026 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony Begins

When Do The Olympics End is the question fans are asking as the Milano Cortina 2026 festivities reach their finale: the Closing Ceremony in Verona begins at 2: 30 p. m. ET on Sunday, February 22. This final pageant brings the Games to a close and offers a staged farewell to athletes and viewers after nearly three weeks of competition.

When Do The Olympics End: Ceremony time, schedule and broadcast notes

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games running calendar concludes on Sunday, February 22. The Closing Ceremony will kick off at 2: 30 p. m. ET and is slated to run just over two hours, as listed on the official ticket website. Coverage will be available live on both broadcast and streaming platforms for viewers planning to tune in.

• Ceremony start time: 2: 30 p. m. ET (Sunday, February 22)
• Expected duration: just over two hours (official ticket information)
• Host city for finale: Verona, Italy; venue: Arena di Verona

With the Games spanning February 6–22 in Milan and surrounding host sites, the Closing Ceremony is the definitive end point for this edition of the Winter Games. Fans following the final moments should plan for an afternoon start in the U. S. Eastern Time zone.

Verona, the Arena and what to expect from the 2026 finale

The ceremony is set at the Arena di Verona, an ancient amphitheater and designated World Heritage Site that will be transformed into a modern-stage spectacle to celebrate the athletes and the conclusion of the Games. After two separate Opening Ceremonies in Milan and Cortina earlier in the Games, the world’s attention will focus on Verona for this closing moment.

Organizers list a program length slightly exceeding two hours, giving space for formal protocol elements as well as artistic performance and a final celebration of the competitors. The setting in Verona is being promoted as an extravagant finale befitting the scale of the Games.

Practical viewing tips and what’s next

Viewers should remember the Games officially span February 6–22, with the Closing Ceremony marking the end of competition and the formal handover toward the next Winter Games in 2030. If planning to watch live, confirm local broadcast and streaming schedules for regional availability and any pre-ceremony coverage that may lead into the 2: 30 p. m. ET start.

Streaming audiences can expect multi-angle and immersive viewing options that were made available throughout the Games. These features aim to offer flexible viewing — including multi-event streams and focused camera angles for skating and hockey — to complement the traditional broadcast feed during the ceremony.

Recent coverage has framed the Verona finale as a must-watch cultural moment and the final celebratory chapter of Milano Cortina 2026. For those tracking the simple timeline question — When Do The Olympics End — the answer is clear: the Winter Games conclude with the Closing Ceremony beginning at 2: 30 p. m. ET on Sunday, February 22, bringing the February 6–22 Games to a close.