How to Watch the Opening Ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games

The Opening Ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games will take place Friday, Feb. 6, at the Milano San Siro Olympic Stadium. The ceremony, produced by Balich Wonder Studio, is scheduled to begin a new era for the distributed Winter Games.

Viewers can watch the event live on NBC (KTVZ) at 11 a.m. on Friday. An encore presentation of the ceremony will air later that evening at 8 p.m.

According to the International Olympic Committee, the 2026 ceremony aims to establish an inclusive dimension for the global celebration by extending events beyond the main stadium into the city and surrounding Olympic territories. This edition of the Games features a partnership with Fincantieri to produce symbolic cauldrons that represent the dialogue between the host cities and their distributed regions.

The event will feature a lineup of international artists and performers. Five-time Grammy Award-winner Mariah Carey and tenor Andrea Bocelli are among the headliners. Other confirmed participants include Golden Globe winner Laura Pausini, actor Pierfrancesco Favino and Emmy-nominated "The White Lotus" star Sabrina Impacciatore.

The Olympic Flame will remain lit through the conclusion of the Games on Feb. 22, 2026. Following a brief period of extinguishing, the Paralympic Flame is scheduled to arrive on March 6, 2026. The two cauldrons will be relit at that time and remain active until the Paralympic Closing Ceremony on March 15.