The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, are well underway, having commenced with a spectacular opening ceremony on . As competition intensifies, athletes are vying for medals across a diverse range of winter sports, while viewers worldwide are navigating the time difference to follow the action. The Games, which began with preliminary matches on , are scheduled to conclude with the closing ceremony on , followed by the Paralympic Games from to .
For viewers in the United States, the time difference presents a logistical consideration. The venues in Italy are six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and nine hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. This means events taking place in the afternoon in Italy will be broadcast live in the early morning hours in the US.
Wednesday’s Schedule: A Day of Alpine and Ice Competition
Wednesday, , promises a full slate of medal events. Alpine skiers will compete in the men’s super-G, while Nordic combined athletes will tackle a 10km cross-country event. Biathlon enthusiasts can look forward to the women’s 15km individual race. Freestyle skiing will see the culmination of the women’s moguls finals. On the ice, speed skaters will contest the men’s 1,000m race, and figure skating pairs will perform their free dance. The day’s events also include both the men’s and women’s doubles run in luge.
Beyond the medal events, Wednesday’s schedule includes ongoing round robin matches in curling, with a notable fixture between the United States and the Czech Republic. Qualification rounds are also scheduled for both men’s and women’s snowboard halfpipe, alongside further women’s moguls qualifications in freestyle skiing.
Looking Ahead: Thursday’s Olympic Lineup
Thursday, , will see Team USA back on the ice for continued men’s and women’s curling round robin sessions. Ice hockey fans will be able to watch the U.S. Men’s team face Latvia in a Group C match.
The medal events on Thursday are equally compelling, featuring women’s super-G Alpine skiing, men’s moguls freestyle skiing, women’s 10km cross-country skiing, men’s snowboard cross, women’s 5,000-meter speed skating, and a team relay in luge. The schedule also includes the women’s snowboard halfpipe final and short track speed skating events for both men and women.
Preparation for future events will also be underway, with skeleton heats, qualification rounds for freestyle skiing, snowboard seeding runs, and training runs for both bobsleigh and ski jumping all taking place.
Opening and Closing Ceremonies: Bookending the Games
The opening ceremony, held on , was a lavish affair featuring performances by international stars Mariah Carey, Laura Pausini, and Andrea Bocelli. The traditional Parade of Nations and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron marked the official commencement of the Games. The ceremony, produced by Balich Wonder Studio, was staged primarily at the Milano San Siro Olympic Stadium, with additional events held throughout Milan and athlete parades in Predazzo, Livigno, and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
The Verona Arena will host the closing ceremony on , bringing the Winter Olympics to a close.
Figure Skating and Snowboarding Schedules
Figure skating competitions began on and are continuing daily through . A break is scheduled for , but events will resume on , and continue on , , , and . Detailed schedules for team, pair, and singles events are available on the official Olympics website.
Snowboarding events commenced on and will continue from to , to , and to . Qualifying events and final runs for both men’s and women’s competitions are also detailed on the official Olympics website.
Broadcast Information for U.S. Viewers
For viewers in the United States, the Winter Olympics are being broadcast on NBC and Peacock. NBC is providing a minimum of five hours of live event coverage each day, starting in the morning and continuing into the afternoon. Local listings are available on the NBC Olympics website.
