How to Watch the Olympics Opening Ceremony: Date, Start Time

Performers include Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli, with the ceremony split between multiple venues in Italy

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The 2026 Winter Olympics are upon us, and while events like hockey and curling have already kicked off, the competition formally begins following the opening ceremony on Friday, Feb. 6. The competition, officially known as Milano Cortina, marks the return of the Olympics to Italy for the first time since the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.

At a Glance: How to Watch the Olympics Opening Ceremony

Because the festival is held across Milan and the mountain town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, the festivities will be held at multiple venues. That means two separate cauldrons will be lit simultaneously to mark the start of the games; Likewise, the opening ceremony and the parade of nations will take place across numerous venues. The main ceremony will be held at San Siro Stadium in Milan.

As for the event, the festivities kick off at 8 pm locally, 2 pm ET. The parade of nations will air live on NBC, with a primetime replay at 8 pm ET/PT. As with all events at the Olympics, the opening ceremony can be streamed on Peacock.

Who is Performing at the Olympic Opening Ceremony?

Unsurprisingly, several major Italian stars will perform at the opening ceremony. Andrea Bocelli and Laura Pausini are among the vocalists performing. Chinese pianist Lang Lang will perform alongside opera singer Cecilia Bartoli.

Six-time Grammy winner Mariah Carey will also perform during the opening ceremony and sing in Italian. The theme for the opening ceremony is “Harmony.”