The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are almost here, and the symbolic start to the Olympics will be the opening ceremony. The lighting of the Olympic flame at the conclusion of the Olympic torch relay, parade of nations and international musical performances are traditions and part of the pomp and circumstance, that help the Games draw an international audience.
This year’s opening ceremony will be held at San Siro Stadium in Milan, a 100-year-old venue that will now host the likes of Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli and athletes from more than 90 countries around the world. Officials previously announced an inclusive theme featuring a show inside the stadium as well as “satellite events” in Olympic territories.
The 2026 Olympics include 10 athletes with Rochester ties, with five members of the U.S. women’s hockey team the favorite to win a gold medal.
Here’s more on when the opening ceremony for the 2026 Winter Olympics is taking place, as well as how to watch if you can’t be in Milan:
When is Winter Olympics opening ceremony for Milano Cortina?
The opening ceremony for the 2026 Winter Olympics is scheduled to take place at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6. It is slated to last around three hours.
How to watch 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony: TV, streaming
The 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony will be broadcast on Channel 10 (NBC), with Peacock and NBCOlympics.com providing streaming coverage of the event. An encore presentation of the opening ceremony will be broadcast on Channel 10 at 8 p.m. ET for the American primetime viewing audience.
Watch opening ceremony with Peacock
When do the 2026 Winter Olympics start?
Though the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina officially begin Friday, Feb. 6, in conjunction with the opening ceremony, the first preliminary events occur a couple of days earlier. The 2026 Winter Games will begin with the start of the curling competition on Wednesday, Feb. 4. The Milano Cortina Olympics will then run until Sunday, Feb. 22. The Winter Paralympic Games will begin on March 6 and run until March 15.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: When is opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics 2026 in Milan?
