Milan-Cortina 2026 & Six Nations: TV Viewership Report | SportsPro Media

The February 7th opening weekend of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics is delivering strong viewership numbers, and not just in the host nations. Initial data indicates a significant surge in interest compared to the 2022 Beijing Games, fueled by both traditional broadcast and burgeoning streaming audiences.

The opening Saturday of the Games averaged 28.5 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, NBCUniversal’s digital platforms, and Versant’s linear networks – marking the most-watched Winter Olympics broadcast in twelve years. This figure represents a 92 percent increase from the opening Saturday viewership of the Beijing Winter Olympics. The strong performance suggests a renewed appetite for winter sports coverage in the United States.

Streaming numbers are particularly noteworthy. An average of 4.1 million viewers tuned into the day’s events on NBCUniversal’s digital platforms, generating a record 1.3 billion minutes of streamed content. The opening ceremony itself averaged 21.4 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, a 34 percent increase over the Beijing opening ceremony. While still below the 28.3 million who watched the PyeongChang 2018 opening ceremony, this year’s event was the most-streamed Winter Olympics opening ceremony ever, averaging over three million viewers on Peacock.

The international appeal of the Games is also evident. In France, France Televisions averaged six million viewers for its coverage, capturing a 38.8 percent audience share, peaking at 7.6 million, and reaching 15.2 million French fans overall. More than 20 million French viewers tuned in to Winter Olympics coverage on February 6th. Italy, as the co-host nation, saw 9.3 million viewers watch the opening ceremony on Rai, translating to a 46.2 percent audience share. Canada also demonstrated strong interest, with 16 million viewers tuning into CBC/Radio-Canada platforms, including an average minute audience of 2.5 million for the opening ceremony and an additional 1.1 million streams on digital platforms.

These early numbers are a positive sign for NBCUniversal, which holds the U.S. Media rights to the Olympic Games through 2036. The company is leveraging its streaming service, Peacock, to reach a wider audience and capitalize on the growing demand for digital sports content. The success of the Milan Cortina Games could further solidify Peacock’s position in the competitive streaming landscape.

Beyond the Olympics, the opening weekend also saw strong viewership for other major sporting events. The Six Nations rugby tournament delivered solid numbers for both ITV in England and France Televisions. France’s win over Ireland on February 5th averaged 7.24 million French viewers, a record for the first match of the Six Nations, and an 8.5 percent increase compared to last year’s opener. ITV averaged 4.6 million viewers for England’s win against Wales on February 7th, peaking at five million, marking the network’s highest peak audience of the year so far.

Other sports leagues are also seeing positive trends. The new league phase for the Uefa Women’s Champions League has generated a 164 percent increase in live viewership. The National Hockey League, before pausing for the Olympics, averaged 795,000 viewers on ESPN, a 39 percent year-over-year increase. ESPN also reported its most-watched Australian Open in six years, with viewership up 29 percent year-over-year. NBC’s debut of Sunday Night Basketball on February 1st averaged 3.6 million viewers, with an additional 900,000 on Telemundo, and Peacock.

However, not all leagues are experiencing growth. Unrivaled, a three-on-three basketball league, is averaging 103,000 viewers, down 44 percent year-over-year. TGL, an indoor golf league, is down 37 percent year-over-year, averaging 551,000 viewers. League One Volleyball (LOVB), however, is bucking the trend, averaging 108,000 viewers, up 46 percent year-over-year. The NFL’s Pro Bowl Games, meanwhile, hit an all-time low, averaging two million viewers.

As the media landscape continues to fragment, attracting and retaining viewers is becoming increasingly challenging for sports leagues and broadcasters. The early success of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics demonstrates the enduring power of major international events to capture a large and engaged audience, but the varying performance of other leagues highlights the need for innovation and strategic media partnerships to thrive in a crowded marketplace.