When do the Winter Olympics start? Opening ceremony date, time, schedule for 2026 Games

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina are finally taking place, with thousands of athlete federations heading to Italy before the event begins. As always, the Games commence with an opening ceremony, but this one has a special historical significance.

For the first time in Winter Olympics history, the Milan Cortina Opening Ceremony will adopt a multi-centered approach, allowing athletes at various competition venues across Italy to participate. While the main ceremony is scheduled at San Siro Olympic Stadium, athletes, spectators, and local communities nationwide will join the celebration through multiple athlete parades and two cauldrons.

Certainly, each Opening Ceremony typically has a theme. The creative team for the Milan-Cortina event selected "Armonia," which means "harmony" in Italian. This theme celebrates Italian values, history, and culture, emphasizing their deep connection to the Olympic spirit.

Here's everything you need to know about when the Olympics start, including the opening ceremony date, time, and schedule. 

When do the Olympics start in 2026?

• Start date:  Friday, Feb. 6
• Opening ceremony time: 2 p.m. ET

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games will start on Friday, Feb. 6, with the opening ceremony. It begins at 2 p.m. ET from San Siro Stadium.

How to watch the opening ceremony in USA

• TV channel: NBC
• Live stream:  Peacock

NBC will carry live coverage of the opening ceremony and all other Olympic events through its family of networks. NBC will host the opening ceremonies starting at 2 p.m. ET on Feb. 6, and the event will be live-streamed simultaneously on Peacock.

TODAY Show host Savannah Guthrie and NBC Sports legend Terry Gannon will anchor the coverage of the Milan Cortina Opening Ceremony. Shaun White, three-time Olympic snowboarding champion, will join them in the broadcast booth.

How long is the Olympics opening ceremony?

The ceremony generally lasts about three hours, which is typical, though there isn't a fixed length. Later that evening, viewers can watch an "enhanced encore" at 8 p.m. ET.

Where are the 2026 Olympics?

The 2026 Winter Olympics will take place in Italy from February 6th through the 22nd. Venues across Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo will host these events.

There are 15 Olympic venues spread across Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Here is a complete list, along with the sports that will take place there.

Olympics schedule 2026

Here's a full breakdown of every sport and its event dates. There will be live and tape-delayed coverage of these events on the NBC family of networks.