The 2026 Winter Olympics are set to kick off in style with a spectacular opening ceremony. The event is scheduled to take place at Milan's San Siro stadium on Friday at 2 p.m. ET, marking the official beginning of the four-year Olympic cycle. However, for those who can't make it to Italy in person, NBC and Peacock will be providing extensive coverage, including prime-time programming that starts at 8 p.m. ET.
The ceremony is going to be a real treat, featuring an incredible lineup of performers. Grammy-winning singer Mariah Carey and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli are among the big names set to take the stage, along with Emmy-nominated actress Sabrina Impacciatore from Peacock's "The Paper" and renowned Chinese pianist Lang Lang.
But what can fans expect from the ceremony itself? According to organizers, Milan will be celebrating its time in the spotlight by incorporating multiple competition venues into the proceedings. The highlight of the afternoon is likely to be the lighting of two Olympic cauldrons – one at Milan's Arco della Pace and another at Piazza Dibona in Cortina d'Ampezzo – a first for the Winter Olympics.
So, where can fans tune in to catch all the action? NBC will be broadcasting live coverage, while Peacock will provide streaming options. And if you're feeling nostalgic for classic Olympic events, USA Network and CNBC will also have curling competitions underway before the opening ceremony kicks off.
The real question on everyone's mind now is: what comes next? The Winter Olympics 2026 will officially get underway with a packed schedule of events in the following days. For those eager to get started, don't worry – NBC, Peacock, and the NBC Sports app have got you covered.
The ceremony is going to be a real treat, featuring an incredible lineup of performers. Grammy-winning singer Mariah Carey and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli are among the big names set to take the stage, along with Emmy-nominated actress Sabrina Impacciatore from Peacock's "The Paper" and renowned Chinese pianist Lang Lang.
But what can fans expect from the ceremony itself? According to organizers, Milan will be celebrating its time in the spotlight by incorporating multiple competition venues into the proceedings. The highlight of the afternoon is likely to be the lighting of two Olympic cauldrons – one at Milan's Arco della Pace and another at Piazza Dibona in Cortina d'Ampezzo – a first for the Winter Olympics.
So, where can fans tune in to catch all the action? NBC will be broadcasting live coverage, while Peacock will provide streaming options. And if you're feeling nostalgic for classic Olympic events, USA Network and CNBC will also have curling competitions underway before the opening ceremony kicks off.
The real question on everyone's mind now is: what comes next? The Winter Olympics 2026 will officially get underway with a packed schedule of events in the following days. For those eager to get started, don't worry – NBC, Peacock, and the NBC Sports app have got you covered.
it's gonna be so epic! milan is gonna shine bright on the world stage with their opening ceremony 
mariah carey and andrea bocelli are gonna blow us all away 
lang lang is a genius and sabrina impacciatore from peacock's "the paper" is super talented too 
can't wait to tune in to the live coverage on nbc and stream it on peacock 
, can't wait to see mariah carey and andrea bocelli live 
! but i'm also thinking about all the events that will be happening after the ceremony... curling competitions? really? 
It's gonna be interesting to see how they pull it off, but I'm hyped for the rest of the events too. And don't even get me started on the lighting of those Olympic cauldrons - that's some serious drama right there! 
I'm so stoked for the Winter Olympics opening ceremony! 
Anyway, can't wait to catch the highlights with my family and friends over snacks and drinks – it's gonna be such a fun event! 
. But seriously, I love how Milan is incorporating multiple venues into the event, it's like a big celebration of the city itself 
! Two Olympic cauldrons being lit at different locations in Cortina d'Ampezzo? That's a first and I'm here for it 
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. I mean, sure, it's gonna be a big deal with all those famous performers and whatnot, but is it really worth the fuss? We're basically being asked to spend our hard-earned cash on overpriced cable packages just to watch some people compete in events that we've probably seen before 
. And don't even get me started on the streaming options - it's like they want us to click and click until we can't take it anymore 
. I guess what I'm saying is, can't they just simplify things and let people enjoy the Olympics without breaking out the credit card? 
Anyway, I'm hyped about the opening ceremony at Milan's San Siro stadium – it's gonna be lit (pun intended)! Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli are like, whoa! 
I wonder if they'll do a collab performance tho? And Lang Lang is no joke, piano skills for days 