NBC’s Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony: A Full Recap and Broadcast Breakdown

On February 6, 2026, the XXV Olympic Winter Games officially began with a spectacular Opening Ceremony held at San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy — an iconic venue marking a historic start to the Milano‑Cortina Games. NBC broadcast the event live for U.S. audiences, supported by Peacock streaming, with commentary, cultural highlights, musical performances, and — inevitably — some controversy.

Below, we break down how NBC covered the event, the key highlights of the broadcast, audience reaction, why the coverage drew criticism, and what the Opening Ceremony means in context for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

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🎿 What the Ceremony Was All About

The Opening Ceremony marks the official beginning of the Olympic Games — a celebration of sport, unity, culture, and global participation. The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano‑Cortina are significant because they bring the Winter Games back to Italy, a country with deep Olympic roots and vibrant cultural identity.

Held at San Siro Stadium — known more for historic football matches than for winter events — the ceremony included:

• The Parade of Nations, with athletes from over 90 countries.

• Musical performances by international artists such as Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, and Laura Pausini.

• The lighting of the Olympic cauldrons — two in this edition — one in Milan and one in Cortina d’Ampezzo, a first in Winter Olympics history.

These signature elements were interwoven with Italian cultural tributes and the traditional Olympic message of global peace and athletic celebration.

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📺 NBC’s Broadcast: How Viewers Saw It

🕑 Live Coverage and Timing

NBC broadcast the Opening Ceremony live on February 6 at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT) — allowing audiences in the U.S. to watch the event in real time from San Siro Stadium. There was also an enhanced primetime broadcast at 8 p.m. ET for viewers who missed the afternoon live coverage. Both were available on NBC’s main network and on Peacock, with streaming options across NBCOlympics.com, the NBC app, and connected TV platforms.

🗣️ Hosts and Commentary Team

The original NBC hosting team had to undergo a last‑minute change:

• Mary Carillo, a veteran Olympics sportscaster, stepped in to co‑host the Opening Ceremony for NBC after Savannah Guthrie withdrew due to a personal family crisis. Carillo has covered dozens of Olympics and was a seasoned choice.

• She was joined by experienced Olympic host Terry Gannon and three‑time Olympic snowboarding champion Shaun White, who offered athlete‑centric commentary, particularly during the Parade of Nations.

During the Opening Ceremony broadcast, NBC commentators also paused to acknowledge Guthrie’s absence and send support for her personal situation — a moment that blended live sports coverage with genuine empathy.

🪩 NBC’s Centennial Celebration Touches

NBC celebrated 100 years as a broadcast network during this Olympics, incorporating special promotional content into its coverage — including unique logo treatments and Olympic promos as part of its centennial branding.

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🎉 Ceremony Highlights on NBC

🏳 Parade of Nations and Performances

NBC’s broadcast captured the full Parade of Nations — as athletes from around the world marched into San Siro Stadium beneath fluttering flags, embodying the Olympic spirit of unity and competition.

During the ceremony, globally renowned artists took the stage in a blend of music and pageantry:

• Mariah Carey, a multi‑Grammy Award‑winning artist, performed.

• Andrea Bocelli, the Italian tenor, brought an iconic voice to the international audience.

• Laura Pausini, an acclaimed Italian singer, provided further cultural illumination.

These performances were interspersed with athlete introductions and storytelling segments highlighting Italian culture and Olympic history.

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😬 Viewer and Media Reaction

❗ Commercial Interruptions Spark Backlash

One major point of criticism from the NBC Opening Ceremony broadcast came not from the ceremony itself, but from its presentation on American television. Many viewers took to social media and forums to complain that frequent and lengthy commercial breaks disrupted their viewing experience, with some saying key parts of the ceremony were cut or muted for ads.

Social media users called the broadcast “unwatchable” and expressed frustration that even the Italian national anthem and early Parade of Nations content were affected by ad coverage.

⚠️ Editing Out Uncomfortable Moments

Another notable point was that NBC’s U.S. broadcast appears to have omitted or cut away from moments that were potentially controversial — for example, booing directed at U.S. Vice President JD Vance during his appearance at the ceremony was not shown on NBC’s American feed, although other international broadcasters did capture it.

This editorial choice drew attention and discussion online about how national broadcasters sometimes tailor or edit live global events for their audiences.

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🏆 Positive Moments and Community Engagement

Despite those criticisms, the ceremony also had many uplifting moments:

• Local watch parties, including one hosted by NBC Bay Area featuring former Olympians like Kristi Yamaguchi, brought community energy to the broadcast experience.

• Viewers praised the performances and the celebratory atmosphere, especially the emotional lighting of the Olympic cauldrons in both Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo — a first in Olympic history.

The broadcast also served as a launch point for coverage of the next 17 days of competition, setting the tone for events across figure skating, curling, ski mountaineering, and more.

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📺 How to Watch (and How It Was Presented)

NBC made the Opening Ceremony accessible through multiple viewing platforms:

• Live TV broadcast on the NBC network.

• Live streaming on Peacock and digital platforms (NBCOlympics.com, NBC app, NBC Sports app).

• Primetime encore presentation for U.S. East Coast audiences at 8 p.m. ET.

This approach ensured that fans could catch the show in real time, later in the evening, or via streaming — accommodating different schedules and viewer preferences.

Many users also noted that Peacock’s 4K HDR streaming offered especially crisp visuals and immersive audio for the major Olympic broadcasts.

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🧠 NBC’s Role and the Olympics in Context

NBC has held U.S. television rights for the Olympic Games through 2036 — and its coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics continues a longstanding tradition of bringing global sports to American audiences.

This Opening Ceremony broadcast especially mattered because:

• It kicked off the first Winter Games of the Olympic quadrennium since the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

• It showcased Italy’s cultural heritage at a global scale, blending music, sport, and storytelling in one massive event.

• It served as a cultural touchpoint in NBC’s centennial year as a broadcaster — a historic milestone for the network.

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🎯 Final Takeaway: NBC’s Opening Ceremony Coverage in 2026

NBC’s broadcast of the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony offered a mix of spectacular global pageantry, musical celebration, and the traditional Olympic message of unity — yet it also drew criticism for how that coverage was presented to U.S. audiences, with commercial interruptions and editing decisions sparking debate online.

Overall, for viewers who tuned in live or later via streaming, the ceremony marked a vibrant start to the Milano‑Cortina Games — a moment of international celebration broadcast into millions of living rooms across America and around the world