How to Host a Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics Opening Ceremony Watch Party

Short answer: Host a Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics Opening Ceremony watch party on Friday, February 6, 2026. Stream live on Peacock at 2 p.m. ET or watch NBC’s primetime broadcast at 8 p.m. ET. Serve snacks from competing nations, organize a mini “parade of athletes” costume walk, and pick your party mode: family-friendly fun or adult drinking games.

• Watch live on Peacock (2 p.m. ET) or NBC primetime (8 p.m. ET)
• Assign guests countries to represent with snacks or costumes
• Set up a photo station to capture everyone’s Olympic spirit
• Choose your vibe: kid-friendly games or grown-up drinking rules

When and where to watch the Olympics opening ceremony

The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony takes place on Friday, February 6, 2026 at San Siro Stadium in Milan. The ceremony starts at 8 p.m. local time (CET).

U.S. viewing times:

• 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT — Live on Peacock
• 8 p.m. ET — NBC primetime broadcast

The afternoon option works great for a daytime gathering with kids. The evening broadcast fits a classic watch party with drinks and snacks. Pick whichever suits your crew.

Two ways to party: pick your path

This ceremony is special. It is the first Winter Olympics with two Olympic cauldrons (one in Milan, one in Cortina) and celebrations happening across multiple Alpine venues. Your party can reflect that dual nature too.

Path 1: Family-friendly Olympics fun

The parade of athletes walk. Assign each family or kid a country when they RSVP. They show up wearing that nation’s colors or a simple costume. Before the broadcast starts, line everyone up for your own mini parade around the living room. Wave flags, play the Olympic fanfare, make it official.

International snack potluck. Each guest brings a snack representing their assigned country. Italy gets bruschetta. Canada brings poutine or maple cookies. Norway does waffles. Japan brings mochi. Keep it simple and kid-friendly.

Olympic trivia for prizes. Print trivia cards about Winter Olympics history, Milan landmarks, or Alpine geography. Award chocolate medals to winners.

Photo station. Set up a corner with Olympic rings, flags, and “Go Team” signs. Use a QR code linked to a shared album so every family can grab the photos after.

Path 2: Adults-only drinking games

The parade of athletes drinking game. Assign guests countries at the door. When their country appears in the parade, they take a drink. Bonus sip if their athlete waves directly at the camera.

Ceremony bingo with stakes. Create bingo cards with squares like:

• Commentator says “historic”
• Drone light show
• Close-up of crying athlete
• Italian opera performance
• Someone trips during the walk
• Mariah Carey hits a high note

First bingo picks the next round’s drink. Blackout bingo picks the late-night pizza order.

International cocktail crawl. Instead of one drink, set up a mini bar with cocktails from different countries:

• Italy: Negroni Sbagliato or Aperol Spritz
• Switzerland: Glühwein (mulled wine)
• Sweden: Aquavit shots
• Canada: Caesar (the drink, not the salad)
• USA: Whiskey sour

Guests “visit” each country’s station throughout the night.

Best costume contest. Award prizes for “Most Athletic,” “Best Country Rep,” and “Most Likely to Medal in Couch Sitting.”

International snacks that work for both modes

Build a spread that feels global without requiring a culinary degree:

Set up food stations with small flags so guests know which country they are “visiting.”

Set the scene

Decor tips:

• Hang flags from competing nations
• Print the Olympic rings and tape them to the TV stand
• Use red, white, and green (Italy’s colors) for tablecloths and napkins
• Add fake snow or Alpine touches like pinecones and evergreen branches

Playlist: Queue up music from participating countries. Include Laura Pausini (she is performing at the ceremony) and, yes, Mariah Carey.

Collect the photos without chasing anyone

Between costume parades, cocktail stations, and medal-worthy snack spreads, your guests will take a lot of photos. Instead of chasing everyone for their camera roll later, set up a shared gallery with a QR code.

Print the code and place it near your photo station. Guests scan, upload, done. You get every angle without the group text chaos.

Go for gold

Whether you are hosting a family-friendly afternoon party or a cocktail-fueled evening event, the Milano Cortina 2026 Opening Ceremony gives you plenty to work with. Two cauldrons, multiple venues, Italian flair, and global celebration.

Pick your path. Assign the countries. Print the QR code. Let the games begin.