When do 2026 Winter Olympics start? Olympics full schedule, early events get underway in Milan Cortina

The 2026 Winter Olympics are almost here, with the Milan Cortina Games set to begin in just a few days. Athletes from around the world are arriving in Italy for two weeks of top-level winter sports. Fans will see famous events like ice hockey, figure skating, alpine skiing, and snowboarding. Some competitions will start even before the official opening ceremony, giving viewers early action to enjoy.

Although the Winter Olympics opening ceremony is scheduled for the end of the week, the Games are already coming to life. Training sessions and early rounds in several sports will begin midweek. This allows fans to watch Olympic events sooner than expected. Broadcasters have planned full coverage from the first day to the final medal events.

Winter Olympics 2026 full schedule, when do the Winter Olympics start and star power at Milan Cortina

The 2026 Winter Olympics officially open on Friday, February 6, with the opening ceremony taking place in Milan. Viewers can stream the Olympics opening ceremony live on NBC and Peacock. There will also be a replay during prime time for fans who miss it earlier. The ceremony will include musical performances, with Mariah Carey among the headline acts.

Even before the ceremony, several sports will already be in progress. Luge, alpine skiing, and curling begin on February 4. Ski jumping, snowboarding, and ice hockey start on February 5. These early events mean medals will be decided soon after the Games begin.

Figure skating, one of the most popular sports, runs from February 6 to February Feb 21. Freestyle skiing and speed skating start on February 7. Cross-country skiing continues until February 22. Biathlon begins on February 8, followed by skeleton sledding on February 9. Nordic combined skiing and short-track speed skating take place in the middle of the Games. Bobsled events begin on February 12 and run until the final days.

One major highlight this year is ice hockey. NHL players are back in the Olympic tournament. This marks a full return after they were absent in 2018 and had limited involvement in 2022 due to the pandemic. Fans will be excited to see the world’s best players competing for their countries again.

When do the Olympics start 2026?

• Luge: Feb. 4-12

• Alpine skiing: Feb. 4-18

• Curling: Feb. 4-22

• Ski jumping: Feb. 5-16

• Snowboarding: Feb. 5-18

• Ice hockey: Feb. 5-22

• Figure skating: Feb. 6-21

• Freestyle skiing: Feb. 7-21

• Speed skating: Feb. 7-21

• Cross-country skiing: Feb. 7-22

• Biathlon: Feb. 8-21

• Skeleton sledding: Feb. 9-15

• Nordic combined skiing: Feb. 9-19

• Short-track speed skating: Feb. 10-20

• Bobsled: Feb. 12-22

• Ski mountaineering: Feb. 19-21

Milan Cortina Winter Olympics promise nonstop thrilling sports action from beginning to end.


Get the latest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 updates, including the full schedule, teams, live scores, points table, and key series stats such as top run-scorers and wicket-takers.