How to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics today (February 9th) for free

The 2026 Winter Olympics continue today, February 9th, 2026, with one of the busiest competition days so far in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. Fans can expect a packed lineup featuring the figure skating ice dance rhythm dance, the women’s freeski slopestyle final, women’s snowboard big air, and the women’s 1000m speed skating race, alongside mixed doubles curling and women’s ice hockey preliminaries. Several of today’s sessions are medal events, making it a key day to watch the early Olympic standings begin to take shape.

Among the biggest highlights is the start of individual figure skating competition with the ice dance rhythm dance, an event that often draws major global audiences and sets the tone ahead of later medal rounds. British medal hopefuls Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson are among the standout names to watch, while in speed skating, stars like Jutta Leerdam and Miho Takagi headline the women’s 1000m race. Snowboard and freestyle skiing fans will also be watching high-profile athletes such as Eileen Gu, expected to be a major contender in today’s freeski slopestyle final.

Olympic coverage varies by country, with broadcasters offering a mix of full live sessions, highlights, and primetime programming. Streaming platforms often provide the most complete access to daytime events, while traditional TV coverage focuses on selected highlights. Because rights differ globally, some free Olympic streams are geo-restricted - which is why many viewers look for alternative ways to watch live coverage while traveling abroad.

Below, we explain where to watch today’s Winter Olympics events live, including official broadcasters and free streaming options available in different countries.

February 9th, 2026 schedule

Today’s Winter Olympics schedule on February 9th, 2026 features several major sessions across figure skating, freestyle skiing, snowboarding, speed skating, ski jumping, and women’s ice hockey. With five gold-medal events taking place throughout the day, it’s one of the busiest competition days of the opening week.

One of the biggest highlights is the ice dance rhythm dance, scheduled from 1:20PM–4:55PM ET, which marks the start of individual figure skating competition following the team event earlier in the Games. Ice dance is traditionally one of the most watched Olympic skating disciplines, with top contenders from Europe, North America, and Asia aiming to secure strong scores ahead of the medal-deciding free dance later this week.

Earlier in the day, the women’s freeski slopestyle final takes place around 7:00AM ET, featuring some of the biggest freestyle skiing stars, including Olympic champion Eileen Gu, who is expected to be among the top contenders. Snowboard fans can also tune in for the women’s snowboard big air final, another medal event that typically delivers some of the most dramatic moments of the Winter Games.

Speed skating headlines the afternoon session with the women’s 1000m race, scheduled around 12:00PM ET, where elite athletes such as Dutch star Jutta Leerdam and Japan’s Miho Takagi are expected to battle for medals. Meanwhile, the men’s normal hill ski jumping final and the alpine skiing team combined events add more medal opportunities across the day.

Beyond medal events, fans can also follow multiple women’s ice hockey preliminary games, luge runs, and mixed doubles curling sessions, making February 9th one of the most diverse viewing days so far at Milano Cortina 2026. Because events are spread across different venues and time zones, many viewers rely on streaming platforms to follow full live sessions rather than highlights-only TV coverage.

Can You watch 2026 winter Olympics for free?

Yes. Several national broadcasters around the world stream the Winter Olympics for free as part of public-service coverage. While availability depends on your location, viewers in countries like Canada, the UK, and Australia can access live Olympic events without paying for a subscription through official streaming platforms.

One of the most widely accessible options is CBC Gem in Canada, which typically offers free live sessions across multiple sports, including figure skating, freestyle skiing, speed skating, and snowboarding. In the UK, BBC iPlayer provides selected Olympic coverage, highlights, and live streams, while Australia’s 9Now also carries free Olympic broadcasts depending on local rights agreements.

These platforms usually provide full live sessions during the daytime schedule, which can sometimes include events not shown in full on paid broadcasters in other regions. Because they are national services, however, access is normally restricted to viewers inside the country where the platform operates.

When traveling abroad, some viewers use a virtual private network (VPN) to access the same free Olympic coverage available in their home country. A VPN allows you to connect to a server location where the broadcaster is available, which can make it possible to stream events through services like CBC Gem, BBC iPlayer, or 9Now while overseas.

Before watching, it’s always a good idea to check the official Olympic schedule for your region, since free coverage varies by broadcaster and some events may only be available as highlights or delayed replays.

How to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics for free

1. Choose a reliable VPN. Use a VPN, like NordVPN, with fast servers in the country where your preferred broadcaster is available, for example, BBC iPlayer in the UK, CBC Gem in Canada, or 9Now in Australia.
2. Install the VPN app. Download and install the VPN on the device you’ll be watching on: desktop, smartphone, tablet, or smart TV.
3. Connect to the right country. Open the VPN and connect to a server in the country where the free stream is available.
4. Go to the streaming platform. Visit your broadcaster’s website or app – BBC iPlayer, CBC Gem, or 9Now, and log in if needed.
5. Watch the Winter Olympics live. Navigate to the live Olympic stream and enjoy the ceremony as if you were watching from home.