Milan Cortina 2026 Paralympic Opening Ceremony Coverage Ignites First Weekend of Action Beginning This Friday, March 6, at 1:30 p.m. ET on Peacock and USA Network

NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Milan Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony from Verona Olympic Arena begins this Friday, March 6, with pre-show coverage at 1:30 p.m. ET, with the Opening Ceremony beginning at 2 p.m. ET, both on Peacock and USA Network. A primetime presentation including the best of the first day of competition and highlights of the Opening Ceremony will air this Saturday, March 7, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

Ahmed Fareed and Chris Waddell to Anchor Opening Ceremony Coverage at 2 p.m. ET on Peacock and USA Network

Ahmed Fareed will host coverage of the Opening Ceremony for a fourth consecutive Games with 13-time Paralympic medalist and Paralympic Hall of Fame member Chris Waddell. Fareed and Waddell will also serve as hosts throughout NBCU’s Paralympics coverage. Pre-show coverage will be hosted by NBC Sports’ Britney Eurton and seven-time Paralympic medalist Mallory Weggemann, beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET on Peacock and USA Network.

Plans for the highly anticipated Opening Ceremony in Verona are unlike any other, which will feature the lighting of two Paralympic cauldrons between the host cities. Lit and extinguished in perfect synchrony, the cauldrons’ designs are inspired by Leonardo da Vinci. The ceremony will open with a parade celebrating the athletes, of which around 650 from more than 50 delegations are expected to compete throughout the Games.

Four-time Paralympic sled hockey gold medalist Josh Pauls and seven-time Paralympic alpine skiing medalist Laurie Stephens will serve as Team USA Flag Bearers during the Opening Ceremony.

For the first time ever, NBCUniversal will provide American Sign Language (ASL) for its coverage of the Winter Paralympics Opening Ceremony on NBC.com, NBCParalympics.com, and the NBC Sports app.

Live competition coverage begins today at 1:05 p.m. ET with the United States facing Latvia in wheelchair curling on Peacock and continues all weekend, highlighted by sled hockey, biathlon, and mixed doubles wheelchair curling.

Notable events and storylines include Brenna Huckaby, already tied for the most gold medals in Paralympic snowboard history, who could potentially set a new record during the snowboard cross finals on Sunday, March 8 at 6:20 a.m. ET on Peacock and CNBC; two-time Paralympic medalist Andrew Kurka in the men’s downhill on Saturday, March 7, at 5:15 a.m. ET on Peacock and CNBC; and dual Winter and Summer Para athlete and four-time Paralympic gold medalist Kendall Gretsch expected to compete in the women’s 12.5km individual sitting biathlon on Sunday, March 8 live at 5 a.m. ET on Peacock and CNBC, with an encore presentation later that day at 11:15 a.m. ET on CNBC.

NBCUniversal’s coverage plans for the Milan Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games

For more information on NBCUniversal’s coverage plans for the Milan Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, click here. For the full Paralympic listings from March 6-9, please see below:

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4 (DAY -2)

PEACOCK

1:05 p.m.

Wheelchair Curling – Latvia vs. United States (LIVE)

THURSDAY, MARCH 5 (DAY -2)

4:05 a.m.

Wheelchair Curling – Japan vs. United States (LIVE)

1:05 p.m.

Wheelchair Curling – United States vs. Estonia (LIVE)

FRIDAY, MARCH 6 (DAY 0)

USA NETWORK

1:30 p.m.-4 p.m.

Opening Ceremony (LIVE)

PEACOCK

3:05 a.m.

Wheelchair Curling – Great Britain vs. United States (LIVE)

SATURDAY, MARCH 7 (DAY 1)

NBC

8 p.m.-10 p.m.

Best of Day 1 and Opening Ceremony Highlights

CNBC

4 a.m.-5:15 a.m.

Sitting Biathlon – Men’s & Women’s 7.5km Sprint (LIVE)

5:15 a.m.- 6:30 a.m.

Alpine Skiing – Men’s Downhill (LIVE)

6:30 a.m.- 8:20 a.m.

Biathlon – Men’s & Women’s 7.5km Sprint – Standing & VI (LIVE)

8:35 a.m.- 10:15 a.m.

Wheelchair Curling Mixed Doubles – United States vs. South Korea (LIVE)

10:15 a.m.-11:00 a.m.

Alpine Skiing – Men’s & Women’s Downhill

11:05 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Sled Hockey Qualifying Round – United States vs. Italy (LIVE)

SUNDAY, MARCH 8 (DAY 2)

NBC

12:30 p.m.-2 p.m.

Sled Hockey Qualifying Round – United States vs. Italy

2 p.m.-2:30 p.m.

Snowboarding – Men’s & Women’s Snowboard Cross Finals

CNBC

5 a.m.-6:20 a.m.

Biathlon Sitting – Men’s & Women’s 12.5km Individual (LIVE)

6:20 a.m.-7:55 a.m.

Snowboarding – Men’s & Women’s Snowboard Cross Finals (LIVE)

7:55 a.m.-9:45 a.m.

Biathlon – Men’s & Women’s 12.5km Individual – Standing & VI (LIVE)

9:45 a.m.-11:15 a.m.

Wheelchair Curling Mixed Doubles – United States vs. Italy (LIVE)

11:15 a.m.-11:45 a.m.

Biathlon Sitting – Women’s 12.5km Individual*

11:45 a.m.-12 p.m.

Snowboarding – Men’s & Women’s Snowboard Cross Finals*

MONDAY, MARCH 9 (DAY 3)

USA NETWORK

5 a.m.-7:30 a.m.

Alpine Skiing – Men’s & Women’s Super G (LIVE)

7:30 a.m.- 8:30 a.m.

Mixed Team Wheelchair Curling – United States vs. Switzerland

8:35 a.m.- 10:30 a.m.

Sled Hockey Qualifying Round – Czechia vs. Slovakia (LIVE)

10:30 a.m.-11:15 a.m.

Mixed Doubles Wheelchair Curling – United States vs. China (LIVE)

11:15 a.m.-12 p.m.

Sitting Alpine Skiing – Women’s & Men’s Super G*

12:05 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sled Hockey Qualifying Round – United States vs. Germany (LIVE)

*Replay