How to Watch the 2026 Winter Olympics Without Overpaying
Here’s how to stream the 2026 Winter Olympics live, including low-cost viewing options, Peacock access and ways to catch your favorite athletes and events from anywhere.
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Today
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more delivered daily. Smart money moves start here.
Sent five days a week
Kiplinger A Step Ahead
Get practical help to make better financial decisions in your everyday life, from spending to savings on top deals.
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Closing Bell
Get today's biggest financial and investing headlines delivered to your inbox every day the U.S. stock market is open.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Adviser Intel
Financial pros across the country share best practices and fresh tactics to preserve and grow your wealth.
Delivered weekly
Kiplinger Tax Tips
Trim your federal and state tax bills with practical tax-planning and tax-cutting strategies.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Retirement Tips
Your twice-a-week guide to planning and enjoying a financially secure and richly rewarding retirement
Sent bimonthly.
Kiplinger Adviser Angle
Insights for advisers, wealth managers and other financial professionals.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Investing Weekly
Your twice-a-week roundup of promising stocks, funds, companies and industries you should consider, ones you should avoid, and why.
Sent weekly for six weeks
Kiplinger Invest for Retirement
Your step-by-step six-part series on how to invest for retirement, from devising a successful strategy to exactly which investments to choose.
Get ready for two weeks of fast-paced winter competition, the 2026 Winter Olympics are almost here. The Games officially begin February 6, as athletes from more than 90 countries head to Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, to compete for gold across a packed schedule of Olympic winter sports.
The Opening Ceremony at Milan’s San Siro stadium will officially launch the 25th Winter Games, though some preliminary events — including ice hockey, curling and snowboarding — will begin beforehand.
If you’re planning to watch the action, you'll have several streaming options. We'll get into ways to watch the Winter Olympics and how to save.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Where to Watch the 2026 Winter Olympics in the U.S.
NBCUniversal holds the broadcasting rights for the Winter Olympics in the United States. Coverage will be split across several platforms and channels.
Traditional TV channels
NBCUniversal will broadcast events across NBC, USA Network and CNBC. These channels typically carry marquee competitions, highlights and daily coverage throughout the Games.
Streaming services
Peacock is NBCUniversal’s primary streaming hub for full Olympic coverage. Viewers will need the Premium tier, which costs about $10.99 per month. Subscribers typically get access to live event coverage, along with recap programming, including the daily “Gold Zone” highlights show.
If you're a Walmart+ member, Peacock Premium is also included with a Walmart+ membership, which costs $98 annually and offers perks such as free shipping on thousands of items and fuel discounts.
Watch the Winter Olympics on Peacock
Peacock's premium membership grants you access to live sports and all of the platform's shows and movies.
If you don’t currently subscribe to cable, several live-TV streaming services offer free trials or promotional discounts that could help reduce costs.
YouTubeTV
YouTube TV offers NBC, USA Network and CNBC in most markets, making it one of the more comprehensive streaming options for Olympic coverage.
The base plan starts around $82.99 per month and often includes promotional pricing, along with a free trial period that may extend for multiple weeks, depending on current offers.
Sling TV
Sling TV’s Blue plan starts around $45.99 per month and includes USA Network and other sports channels. NBC availability varies by local market, so viewers should confirm access before subscribing.
While Sling generally doesn’t offer as comprehensive NBC coverage as YouTube TV, it can be one of the more affordable paid streaming options.
How to stream the Winter Olympics from anywhere
If you’ll be away from home during the Games, you may find that your usual streaming services don’t work overseas due to regional broadcasting restrictions.
Some viewers use a virtual private network (VPN), which routes internet traffic through servers in another location. This can sometimes allow those abroad to access the same streaming services they use at home. Keep in mind that streaming platforms have their own terms of service and availability can vary.
Haven't used a VPN before? It's easy to set up:
- Install a VPN service on your device.
- Select a server location matching your home country or desired streaming region.
- Log into your streaming subscription as usual.
NordVPN is known for fast connection speeds, strong security features and reliable streaming support.
Get up to about 70% off long-term plans, with pricing starting around $3.39 per month. The subscription supports multiple devices and includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Use NordVPN to unblock your streaming service and watch the 2026 Winter Olympic Games from anywhere in the world.
2026 Winter Olympics schedule and key dates
There are a few key dates and new highlights for fans this year, including the return of NHL players to Olympic hockey and the introduction of a brand-new event.
NHL players are returning to Olympic men’s hockey for the first time since 2014, a move expected to boost interest in one of the Games’ most popular events. The Milan-Cortina Games will also debut ski mountaineering, often called “skimo,” which combines uphill climbing and downhill skiing in endurance-based races.
You can review the full lineup of events and competition dates in the official Winter Olympics schedule.
The 2026 Games will run from February 6 to February 22, delivering just over two weeks of competition across dozens of sports, including:
- Alpine skiing
- Figure skating
- Snowboarding
- Bobsled
- Ice hockey
- Curling
- Ski mountaineering (new for 2026)
You have multiple ways to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics
With hundreds of medal events scheduled across nearly three weeks of competition, streaming services often provide broader access than traditional TV coverage, especially for fans who want to follow multiple sports or watch events live.
The 2026 Winter Olympics are expected to deliver major storylines, returning fan-favorite competitions and new events. You don’t necessarily need an expensive cable package to watch. The best viewing option ultimately depends on which events you want to watch, how you prefer to stream and whether you’ll be tuning in from home or while traveling.
Comparing services ahead of the Games can help you catch your favorite events without paying more than necessary.
Related content
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

Carla Ayers joined Kiplinger in 2024 as the eCommerce and Personal Finance Editor. Her professional background spans both commercial and residential real estate, enriching her writing with firsthand industry insights.
Carla has worked as a personal finance and real estate writer for Rocket Mortgage, Inman and other industry publications.
She is passionate about making complex real estate and financial topics accessible to all readers. Dedicated to transparency and clarity, her ultimate goal is to help her audience make informed and confident decisions in their financial pursuits.
-
Here’s How to Stream the Super Bowl for LessWe'll show you the least expensive ways to stream football's biggest event.
-
The Cost of Leaving Your Money in a Low-Rate AccountWhy parking your cash in low-yield accounts could be costing you, and smarter alternatives that preserve liquidity while boosting returns.
-
I want to sell our beach house to retire now, but my wife wants to keep it.I want to sell the $610K vacation home and retire now, but my wife envisions a beach retirement in 8 years. We asked financial advisers to weigh in.
-
Here’s How to Stream the Super Bowl for LessWe'll show you the least expensive ways to stream football's biggest event.
-
The Cost of Leaving Your Money in a Low-Rate AccountWhy parking your cash in low-yield accounts could be costing you, and smarter alternatives that preserve liquidity while boosting returns.
-
This Is How You Can Land a Job You'll Love"Work How You Are Wired" leads job seekers on a journey of self-discovery that could help them snag the job of their dreams.
-
We Inherited $250K: I Want a Second Home, but My Wife Wants to Save for Our Kids' College.He wants a vacation home, but she wants a 529 plan for the kids. Who's right? The experts weigh in.
-
4 Psychological Tricks to Save More in 2026Psychology and money are linked. Learn how you can use this to help you save more throughout 2026.
-
Who Counts as Family on a Mobile Phone Plan?Family phone plans aren’t just for parents and kids anymore. Here’s who can share a plan, how much you can save and what to watch out for before you bundle.
-
Why Your Home Insurance Might Not Protect You If Someone Else Lives ThereLetting a relative stay in a second home or inherited property can quietly change your insurance coverage and leave you exposed to costly liability claims.
-
My First $1 Million: Retired (at 57) Aerospace Senior Manager, 58, Denver"Making $1 million was never a goal, but maybe it should have been. I simply wanted to be debt-free and never worry about money."

