How (And Where) To Watch The 2026 Winter Olympics

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games have landed in Italy, and once again, Australia has packed its bags for the snow. More than 50 Australian athletes are lining up across a wide spread of winter sports, from alpine skiing and freestyle events to snowboarding, skating and the Olympic debut of ski mountaineering.

For a country better known for summer sport, the Winter Olympics have quietly become must-watch viewing for Australia in recent years. I can’t explain why, perhaps there’s just something about watching the country’s finest race down ice-covered mountains at terrifying speed, usually before most of us have even got up for breakfast. And at Milano Cortina this year, expect plenty more classic Olympic moments for the books.

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When and where are the 2026 Winter Olympics?

The Games run from February 6 to 22, 2026, staged across Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo and a series of alpine venues in northern Italy. The opening ceremony kicks things off in Milan, whilst the closing ceremony returns there two weeks later to officially draw the curtain on another Olympic cycle.

This year’s Winter Olympics also broke from tradition this year. Instead of exclusively holding the events in snow-capped mountain towns, Milano Cortina includes more urban arenas with the region’s more iconic alpine resorts. Cortina d’Ampezzo returns to the Olympic spotlight for the first time since 1956, whilst Milan, some 400 kilometres from the Dolomites, will host the opening and closing ceremonies and indoor events.

What time does the 2026 Winter Olympics start in Australia?

The opening ceremony takes place on Friday, February 6, at 8 PM CET, which translates to 6 AM AEDT on Saturday, February 7. The closing ceremony follows two weeks later, airing live at 6 AM AEDT on Saturday, February 23.

Most live competition falls into early morning or evening AEDT, meaning you won’t have to go full night shift to keep up. Just accept that your sleep schedule might take a bit of a hit over the next week or so. Either way, your WHOOP won’t be happy.

Where can you stream the 2026 Winter Olympics?

Australian viewers can watch the entire Winter Olympics live and free on Channel 9 and 9Now, with Stan Sport offering deeper coverage and expanded access to Australian events.

When should Aussies be watching?

Saturday, February 14, Sunday, February 15, and Thursday, February 19 stand out as must-watch days for Australian sports fans. Toward the back end, Friday, February 20 will have some daring moments with ski cross, freeski halfpipe, and ski mountaineering medal events.

Of course, if you’re only interested in watching the Australian athletes this year, this handy guide will help you stay across all the action in Italy.

Where will the Olympics be held in 2026, 2028, 2030, and 2032?