Here's what to know about the Parade of Nations in the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony and how the country order is determined.

Stream the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony Live: What Time, Where and Who

So read on for everything you need to know about when the Opening Ceremony for the 2026 Winter Olympics begins, and how to watch at home. The Opening Ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. ET (8 p.m. local time in Italy) on Friday, February 6, with live coverage airing on both NBC and Peacock.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — The five Ukrainian athletes who took part in the Winter Olympics’ opening ceremony in Milan were led out by an Italian-based Russian volunteer who disagrees with her country’s invasion of their neighbour.

A Russian woman in Milan made a quiet protest against the war by leading Ukraine’s Olympic team into the stadium

Where to watch Winter Olympics opening ceremony: Time, TV channel, live streams for 2026 Milan Cortina Games originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Raise a torch to sports. The 2026 Winter Olympics are here, bringing fans around the world plenty of action.

The AI-generated cartoon looked back at past Olympics before a performance led by "White Lotus" star Sabrina Impacciatore

As for which stars are expected to light up the final night of the Winter Games, the 2026 Olympic Closing Ceremony will include a performance led by international ballet icon Roberto Bolle, who is joined by several other acclaimed Italian creatives as he helps deliver a larger-than-life performance to the ancient venue.

The United States achieved many historic firsts and new records at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Check out notable highlights now.