when do the olympics opening ceremony start

The 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony starts on 6 February 2026 at 19:00 UTC (20:00 CET) at San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy.

Quick Scoop: Exact Start Time

• Local time (Milan, Italy – CET) : 8:00 p.m. on Friday, 6 February 2026.

• UTC : 7:00 p.m. (19:00) on 6 February 2026.

• The ceremony takes place at San Siro in Milan and is part of the Milano–Cortina 2026 Winter Games.

In many international TV listings you’ll also see the start described in Eastern Time (ET) as about 2:00–2:30 p.m., with a primetime replay later in the evening.

What to Expect (Very Brief)

• Grand artistic show highlighting Italian culture, design, and music.

• Parade of athletes and lighting of the Olympic cauldron(s) to officially open the Games.

“When do the Olympics opening ceremony start?” – For Milano Cortina 2026, circle Friday 6 February, 19:00 UTC / 20:00 CET on your calendar.

TL;DR: The Olympics opening ceremony (Winter, Milano Cortina 2026) starts at 19:00 UTC / 20:00 CET on 6 February 2026 at San Siro, Milan.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.