February 6, 2026, 11:24 am | Read time: 4 minutes
The 2026 Olympics are approaching. Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, two well-known venues, are in the spotlight. Millions of viewers will watch the games on TV or via streaming. The opening ceremony, which traditionally marks the official start, is of particular interest.
Olympics 2026 Brings Winter Sports Back to Italy
2026 is a special year for sports enthusiasts. Following the European Handball Championship and before the FIFA World Cup, the Winter Olympics is the next major event. The venues are Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. Even before the official opening, initial competitions begin. Since Wednesday, February 4, events such as women’s ice hockey and curling have been underway. Thus, the Olympics kick off with sports before the grand show.
The opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics starts on Friday, February 6, 2026, at 8 p.m. The venue is the Milano San Siro Olympic Stadium. The sports world will focus on a show that aims to combine tradition and modern presentation. As is customary with the Olympics, the ceremony is one of the most-watched TV events of the year.
Shortly before the ceremony begins, broadcasters will go live. This is to ensure viewers are prepared for the celebration and don’t miss any important moments.
These Broadcasters Will Show the Opening Ceremony on TV and Stream
Live images of the opening ceremony will be available on free TV via ARD starting at 7:50 p.m. Additionally, a free live stream will be available on sportschau.de. Commentator Tom Bartels will report from the San Siro Stadium in Milan, alongside Giovanni di Lorenzo, editor-in-chief of “Zeit.”
ARD’s Olympic coverage begins at 6 p.m., broadcast from the ARD/ZDF Olympic studio in Mainz. Esther Sedlaczek and Stephanie Müller-Spirra will host for ARD, while Katrin Müller-Hohenstein and Jochen Breyer will take over for ZDF.
Eurosport 1 will also broadcast the opening ceremony live on TV. Birgit Nössing, Oliver Sequenz, and Fabian Hambüchen will be on duty. Additionally, the streaming service Discovery+ from HBO Max will stream the ceremony online.
How the Winter Games Opening Ceremony Is Planned
The opening ceremony will be staged by Balich Wonder Studio, known for large and elaborate shows. The event aims to be not only visually impressive but also consciously inclusive. The celebration will not be confined to the stadium alone. All of Milan and the Olympic regions will be included in the concept. Planned are parallel events, symbolic moments, and activities in the city and the mountains. The Olympic spirit is intended to extend beyond the stadium and become part of the daily life of the local people. Fans, athletes, and communities are to be equally involved.
A special feature includes two reimagined rituals. Both the lighting and extinguishing of the Olympic flame will have a larger stage. For the first time in Olympic history, there will be two Olympic cauldrons. One is located at the Arco della Pace in Milan, in the heart of the city. The second is on the Piazza Dibona in Cortina d’Ampezzo, in the heart of the Alps.
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Who Will Carry the German Flag at the 2026 Olympics
Shortly before the opening ceremony, another important decision was made. Who will carry the German flag at the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics? Viewers could vote until Tuesday, February 3, at 11:59 p.m.
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Among the women, snowboarder Ramona Hofmeister, bobsled pilot Laura Nolte, and ski jumper Katharina Schmid were up for selection. Among the men, ice hockey star Leon Draisaitl, Nordic combined athlete Johannes Rydzek, and luger Tobias Wendl were nominated. The announcement was made on February 5, with the honor going to Schmid and Draisaitl.
Follow the 2026 Olympics on TV and via Stream
The competitions of the Winter Olympics will be broadcast in Germany by ARD, ZDF, and Eurosport. The public broadcasters will show up to 15 hours of Olympic programming live each day. All three channels are available for free via Joyn. Outside of Germany, streaming may be restricted due to geoblocking, a technical country restriction that blocks access to content from abroad. This restriction can be bypassed with a VPN service, allowing live streams from ARD and ZDF to be accessed even while on vacation.
Compared to the games in Beijing, ARD and ZDF are expanding their offerings. Together, they will provide around 1,400 hours of Olympic coverage. Online, there will be up to seven parallel live streams on sportschau.de, sportstudio.de, and in the media libraries. Warner Bros. Discovery will also be on site. Eurosport will show the competitions on free TV. Streams will also be available on HBO Max and the paid service Discovery+.