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Opening Ceremony Set for Feb 6 at Milan’s San Siro with Nationwide Broadcast

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  • A stock image shows skiers at the winter mountain slopes in California.
    A stock image shows skiers at the winter mountain slopes in California.
    Image: Newsweek
    A stock image shows skiers at the winter mountain slopes in California. Source Full size
  • Fireworks go off during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, in Beijing.
    Fireworks go off during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, in Beijing.
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    Fireworks go off during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, in Beijing. (Credit: AP) Source Full size
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  • A stock image shows skiers at the winter mountain slopes in California.
    A stock image shows skiers at the winter mountain slopes in California.
    Image: Newsweek
    A stock image shows skiers at the winter mountain slopes in California. Source Full size
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  • Fireworks go off during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, in Beijing.
    Fireworks go off during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, in Beijing.
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    Fireworks go off during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, in Beijing. (Credit: AP) Source Full size

Opening ceremony timing and TV feed confirmed across networks The 2026 Winter Games will kick off on Feb 6 with the main ceremony at Milan’s San Siro Stadium, broadcast live at 11 a.m. PST and rebroadcast in primetime at 8 p.m. PST on KING 5 and NBC/Peacock nationwide [1][4]. NBC’s daytime feed begins at 12 PM EST, followed by the ceremony at 1:40 PM EST, with a later prime‑time replay for east‑coast viewers [2]. The event will also be streamed via nbcolympics.com and Peacock, requiring a cable or streaming subscription [2].

U.S. athletes express relaxed expectations and debut excitement Speed skater Corinne Stoddard (Federal Way) says the schedule avoids a race the day after the ceremony, letting her fully enjoy the festivities [1]. Former Husky runner Anna Gibson joins the U.S. ski team for her first Olympics, noting the Ralph Lauren uniform and the chance to see athletes from every nation together [1]. First‑time curlers Luc Violette and Ben Richardson describe the opening as “very special,” while former NHL forward Eeli Tolvanen highlights the long cold waits athletes face behind the scenes [1].

High‑profile performers anchor the cultural showcase The ceremony will feature five‑time Grammy winner Mariah Carey, Italian superstar Laura Pausini, tenor Andrea Bocelli, pianist Lang Lang, and rapper Ghali, among others, under the “Armonia” theme crafted by Marco Balich [3][4]. Actors Matilda De Angelis and Pierfrancesco Favino, Emmy‑nominee Sabrina Impacciatore, and mezzo‑soprano Cecilia Bartoli also appear, emphasizing Italy’s artistic heritage [3]. Both Newsweek and AP highlight Bocelli and Carey as headline acts, confirming their central role in the opening spectacle [3][4].

Games run Feb 6‑22 with new events and dispersed venues, but ceremony format varies The Olympics span Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, three mountain clusters, and close in Verona on Feb 22, making this the most geographically dispersed Winter Games ever [4][3]. New Olympic disciplines debut, including ski mountaineering, mixed‑team skeleton, and women’s doubles luge [3][4]. Newsweek reports simultaneous cauldrons in Milan and Cortina, while AP describes a single ceremony at San Siro, indicating differing official narratives on the dual‑site element [3][4].

Sources

Timeline

Feb 4, 2026 – Mixed doubles curling round‑robin sessions commence, marking the first Olympic competition of the Games and the only sport featured daily throughout the event. [1][2]

Feb 5, 2026 – Women’s ice‑hockey preliminaries and men’s snowboarding big‑air qualifiers take place, expanding the competition schedule ahead of the opening ceremony. [1]

Feb 6, 2026 – The opening ceremony unfolds simultaneously in Milan’s San Siro stadium and Cortina’s Piazza Dibona, with Leonardo‑da‑Vinci‑inspired cauldrons lit at the Arco della Pace and moving to San Siro, under the “Armonia” theme devised by Creative Lead Marco Balich. [1][2][3]

Feb 6, 2026 – Mini opening ceremonies occur at each competition venue across Milan, Cortina, and the mountain clusters, providing localized celebrations alongside the main Milan event. [3]

Feb 6, 2026 (3:55 am EST) – The U.S. figure‑skating team event begins with the Rhythm Dance, allowing early‑morning viewers to watch the competition before the ceremony. [4]

Feb 6, 2026 (12:00 pm EST) – NBC’s daytime feed streams the figure‑skating Rhythm Dance, Pairs Short, and Women’s Short, followed by the opening ceremony at 1:40 pm EST. [4]

Feb 6, 2026 (11 am PST) – Live broadcast of the opening ceremony starts on KING 5 and NBC, with a primetime rebroadcast at 8 pm PST, reaching millions of U.S. viewers. [3][5]

Feb 6, 2026 – US speed skater Corinne Stoddard says, “Milan’s schedule avoids a race the day after the ceremony, allowing me to fully experience the event.” [3]

Feb 6, 2026 – Former Husky runner Anna Gibson remarks, “I’m excited for my first Olympics and to see the Ralph Lauren uniform and athletes from all nations together.” [3]

Feb 6, 2026 – Former NHL forward Eeli Tolvanen notes, “Athletes wait hours in the cold and the ceremony is less glamorous than it appears.” [3]

Feb 6, 2026 – First‑time curlers Luc Violette and Ben Richardson state, “The opening ceremony will be a very special and unique Olympic experience.” [3]

Feb 7, 2026 – The Games award their first medals, with figure‑skating and mixed doubles curling podiums kicking off the medal‑count race. [1]

Feb 6‑22, 2026 – Ski mountaineering makes its Olympic debut and eight new events—including mixed‑team skeleton, women’s doubles luge, and super‑team ski jumping—are contested across the dispersed venues. [1][2]

Feb 6‑22, 2026 – Star athletes such as Lindsey Vonn (competing despite a recent ACL rupture), Mikaela Shiffrin, Eileen Gu, Chloe Kim, and NHL legend Sidney Crosby return to Olympic competition, the latter marking the NHL’s first participation since 2014. [2]

Feb 6‑22, 2026 – A select group of Russian athletes compete as neutrals after an IOC review confirming they have not supported the war in Ukraine. [2]

2025‑2026 (ongoing) – Youth ticket discount Promo26 lets anyone under 26 purchase two tickets for the price of one through the official MilanoCortina2026 portal and app, while unauthorized sellers risk invalid tickets. [1]

Feb 22, 2026 – The closing ceremony takes place in Verona, concluding the Games and featuring the men’s ice‑hockey gold‑medal game; U.S. viewers receive NBC coverage at 11:30 am PST and a KING 5 primetime recap at 9 pm. [2][5]

Feb 4‑22, 2026 – Washington‑state athletes compete in curling, hockey, speed skating, and skiing events, with a detailed PST schedule provided for local fans to follow each performance. [5]

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