How to watch Figure Skating day 1 at the 2026 Winter Olympics for free and live (US and Europe streaming guide)
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The 2026 Winter Olympics kick off on February 6 in Milan with the Figure Skating Team Event – Day 1. Three events are on the schedule: ice dance rhythm dance, pairs short program, and women’s singles short program. Every skate earns points that roll into the team medal standings later in the week — so every score matters from the start.
It’s also the first Olympic appearance this year for some of the sport’s biggest names. In ice dance, keep an eye on Madison Chock & Evan Bates and Lilah Fear & Lewis Gibson — both teams are expected to set the tone early.
The pairs short program features a standout duo: Germany’s Minerva Hase & Nikita Volodin, one of the top contenders. Over in the women’s short program, we’ll see first Olympic performances from Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, Isabeau Levito, and Austria’s Olga Mikutina.
Below, you’ll find everything you need: start times, the full schedule, and how to watch live, including free streams in Europe, Peacock/NBC coverage in the US, and streaming tips if you’re abroad.
When does Figure Skating Day 1 start? (Major events and time zones)
Figure Skating Day 1 at the 2026 Winter Olympics runs on February 6, 2026, and features the opening segments of the Olympic team event. All sessions take place at the Milano Ice Skating Arena and air live across Europe and North America.
Below is a clear overview of the major Day 1 events with confirmed start times across key time zones. Times reflect the official competition window and may shift slightly closer to the Games.
| Event | Italy (CET) | UK (GMT) | US Eastern (ET) | US Central (CT) | US Pacific (PT) |
| Ice dance rhythm dance | 09:55 | 08:55 | 3:55 AM | 2:55 AM | 12:55 AM |
| Pairs short program | 11:35 | 10:35 | 5:35 AM | 4:35 AM | 2:35 AM |
| Women’s short program | 13:35 | 12:35 | 7:35 AM | 6:35 AM | 4:35 AM |
Can I watch Figure Skating Day 1 for free?
Yes, but it depends on where you live. In many European countries, Figure Skating Day 1 from the 2026 Winter Olympics airs free on public TV and streaming platforms. Viewers can watch live coverage at no cost on services such as ARD and ZDF in Germany, SVT Play in Sweden, france.tv in France, ORF ON in Austria, and NPO Start in the Netherlands.
In Canada, Figure Skating Day 1 is also completely free. CBC Gem streams all figure skating events live, including the full team event on Day 1, with no subscription required. Coverage includes every discipline and offers full replays.
In the US, free options are limited. NBC may show short highlights or delayed segments on its main channel, but complete live coverage is not free. To watch every Day 1 segment live or on demand, you need Peacock Premium, which starts at $10.99/month.
If you are a US viewer traveling in Europe or Canada, you can use local free broadcasters. If you are in the US and want access to European or Canadian free streams, you need a virtual private network (VPN) to bypass geo-blocking and connect to a server in the appropriate country.
How to watch Figure Skating Day 1 for free
Some broadcasters stream Olympic figure skating without requiring a paid subscription. These free streams are geo-restricted, meaning they’re only available in specific countries. One of the best free options for Figure Skating Day 1 from the 2026 Winter Olympics is CBC Gem, which offers full live coverage of all figure skating events.
Follow these steps to watch Figure Skating Day 1 for free:
- Choose a reliable VPN with servers in Canada
- Download and install the VPN app on your device
- Connect to a server in Canada
- Visit CBC Gem Figure Skating section
- Select Team Event – Day 1
- Start watching live or on replay at no cost
Where to watch Figure Skating Day 1 by country
United States
Figure Skating Day 1 at the 2026 Winter Olympics is not fully available for free in the US. NBC holds exclusive Olympic rights, but live coverage is split across platforms.
NBC may air limited segments or highlights on its main TV channel. However, NBC does not guarantee live coverage of every Day 1 segment, especially early groups.
For full live and on-demand coverage, Peacock Premium is required. Peacock streams all three Day 1 events live – ice dance rhythm dance, pairs short program, and women’s short program – and also offers full replays later the same day. The lower Peacock Select tier does not include Olympic coverage.
Germany
In Germany, Figure Skating Day 1 is available free, but not on linear TV. Morning sessions are streaming-only.
ARD and ZDF provide complete live coverage through ARD Mediathek and ZDF Mediathek. All Day 1 segments are available live and on replay. No account or subscription is required.
United Kingdom
In the UK, coverage is split between free and paid platforms.
BBC Two and BBC iPlayer carry live figure skating, but coverage may be partial due to limited simultaneous streams. Some Day 1 segments may not air live on the BBC.
For guaranteed full coverage, discovery+ TNT Sports streams every Day 1 event live. This is the only option in the UK that confirms full availability of all segments.
France
France offers one of the best free options for Figure Skating Day 1.
France 2 and France 3 provide live TV coverage, while france.tv streams all Day 1 segments live and free. Replays are also available. No paid subscription is required for full coverage.
Sweden
In Sweden, Figure Skating Day 1 is available fully and free.
SVT broadcasts the event across SVT2 and SVT1, with SVT Play offering complete live streaming of all segments. No registration or payment is required.
Netherlands
In the Netherlands, public broadcaster NPO provides free full coverage.
Figure Skating Day 1 airs on NPO 1, with live streaming available on NPO Start. Channel assignments can change during the day, but all segments are streamed live and free.
Austria
Austria offers full free coverage of Figure Skating Day 1.
ORF SPORT+ carries live TV coverage, while ORF ON streams all Day 1 segments live. Replays remain available after the event ends.
Norway
Norway also provides free full coverage for Day 1.
NRK2 broadcasts the event on TV, and NRK TV streams all segments live. No account is required, and replays are available shortly after the session finishes.
