The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics are almost here, and for cord cutters this is the kind of live-event TV that proves streaming has replaced traditional pay-TV. NBC and Peacock (additional live coverage on USA Network and CNBC) are the U.S. home for the Games, and they’ve built a streaming-first plan that makes watching the fallout on your favorite device easier than ever.
Peacock will stream every sport and every event, not just highlight packages. If you want to watch lesser-known events live, during the XXV Winter Olympic Games, Peacock is must have. Plus, if you miss a morning final, full replays and on-demand clips mean you can catch up on your schedule. The streamer also will be packed with originals, behind-the-scenes pieces, whip-around shows (the “Gold Zone” style coverage), enhanced features, and preview specials that add context beyond the live feed.
- 700+ hours on linear television, including 230+ hours on the NBC broadcast network, both of which are records for a Winter Olympics.
- 3,200+ total broadcast hours planned across all NBCUniversal platforms, including Peacock streaming and NBC linear coverage.
- 2,500+ hours of streaming coverage on Peacock and NBC Sports digital services, covering every sport and every medal event live.
Below is everything you need to know about the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Games.
When It Happens + Where to Find It
- Competition runs Feb. 5–22, 2026, with the Opening Ceremony on Feb. 6. The Games begin a day before the ceremony with select events on Feb. 5.
- Peacock will be the U.S. streaming home and will stream every sport and event — including all 116 medal events across 16 sports — while NBC remains the primary broadcast partner. That means live streams, full-event replays, original features, and clips will be centralized on Peacock and the NBC platform
- NBC will broadcast more programming hours than any previous Winter Olympics, including at least five hours of daytime coverage daily — featuring major events like skiing, figure skating, snowboarding, hockey, and speed skating — and extended Primetime in Milan nightly.
- USA Network and CNBC will carry supplemental daily coverage throughout the Games. CNBC typically begins its Olympic broadcasts after its business-day programming ends, while USA Network carries additional event coverage and stories that might not be in primetime on NBC. This helps expand the total amount of U.S. linear coverage beyond what NBC and Peacock alone provide.
- Other NBCU digital platforms, including NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, and NBC Sports app, will stream 2,500 hours of Winter Games coverage, which is available via authentication.
- NBC and Peacock will go “4K All Day” on Feb. 8, combining extensive Olympics coverage with Super Bowl LX (an unprecedented production day).
- Where to Stream: Peacock | DIRECTV | Sling TV | YouTube TV | Hulu + Live TV
- Watch for Free: With an antenna, you can watch NBC’s coverage of the Winter Olympics for free. Using a site like Antennas Direct can help you find which NBC affiliate is in your area and the best antenna to watch. New subscribers can also begin their trial of DIRECTV, YouTube TV, and Hulu + Live TV to see if they’re the right fit.
Milan Cortina 2026: What to Know + Schedule
This year’s Winter Games are being held in two official host cities *Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo), a first for the Winter Olympics. NBC has broadcast the Winter Olympics since 1972, and Milan Cortina marks its 8th Winter Games. After a successful correspondence at the 2024 Paris Games, rapper Snoop Dogg is returning as part of the U.S. broadcast lineup, bringing his personal perspective to primetime coverage.
Beyond the coverage aspect, here’s Milan Cortina 2026 by the numbers:
- Approximately 2,900 athletes are expected to compete at Milan Cortina 2026 — the largest Olympic Winter Games field ever.
- The Opening Ceremony Parade will feature athletes from 92 countries and territories.
- 232 members of Team USA are expected to compete, one of the largest U.S. delegations in Winter Games history
The 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony begins on Friday, February 6, at 2 PM ET, live on NBC and Peacock.