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Milano Cortina 2026 Delivers Biggest Winter Games Audience Since 2014 as Peacock Sets Streaming Records

A closer time zone and NBC’s live-plus-primetime approach are powering a sharp rebound in U.S. Olympic viewership.

Overview

  • NBCUniversal says the first five nights averaged 26.5 million viewers, up 93% from Beijing 2022 and the strongest start since Sochi 2014.
  • Streaming has reached 5.3 billion minutes, largely on Peacock, surpassing totals from recent Winter Games.
  • Friday’s marquee live events include Ilia Malinin’s men’s free skate at 1 p.m. ET and the U.S. women’s hockey quarterfinal vs. host Italy at 3:10 p.m. ET.
  • NBC has pledged live coverage of all events across NBC, USA Network, CNBC and Peacock, with daily spoiler‑free primetime packages on NBC.
  • Some viewers lost NBC on Fubo due to a carriage dispute, with alternatives promoted such as Peacock, DIRECTV and over‑the‑air antenna access.