The Family Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics

The 2026 Winter Olympics kick off February 6 in Milan and Cortina, Italy, bringing 17 days of global competition, athleticism and inspiring backstories. Here’s everything you need to turn the Games into a family viewing event.

The Basics:

Games run Feb 6-22
Opening Ceremony: Feb 6 at 2pm on NBC (primetime encore at 8 pm)
Where to Watch: NBC and Peacock will broadcast events throughout the day. The time difference works in your favor (Italy is 6 hours ahead), so many competitions air during morning and afternoon hours, perfect for younger kids.

Fun Facts

There are 5 new sports this year: ski mountaineering (athletes race up and down mountains, alternating between wearing their skis and carrying them in backpacks); dual moguls (head-to-head racing down bumpy slopes); women’s doubles luge; women’s large hill ski jumping; and skeleton mixed team relay
The opening ceremony (Friday night) will feature performances from Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli and Laura Pausini. The theme is “Armonia” (harmony).

Athletes/Teams to Look Out For

Figure Skating: Reigning world champion Ilia Malinin promises sparking costumes & dramatic performances
Snowboarding & Freestyle: Two-time gold medalist Chloe Kim goes for her third in halfpipe.
Speedskating: Olympic champion Erin Jackson defends her 500-meter title and 19-year-old Jordan Stolz is noted as one to watch
Alpine Skiing: Mikaela Shiffrin (widely considered the greatest alpine skier ever) will be racing alongside comeback story Lindsey Vonn (competing at 41 after coming out of retirement) – assuming she can rebound from her 2026 knee injury
Ice Hockey: Team USA vs. Team Canada

Florida Athletes to Cheer For

Erin Jackson (Ocala) – Team USA flag bearer and defending speedskating gold medalist
Brittany Bowe (Ocala) – Speedskater competing in her fourth Olympics at 37
Frank Del Duca (Fort Lauderdale) – Team USA flag bearer and bobsled driver
Andrew Torgashev (Coral Springs) – Figure skater and self-proclaimed “Pizza Ambassador”