The 2026 Winter Olympics are officially underway. And whether you want to find Straya’s strongest medal contenders or just love the whole darn thing in all its wintery fabulousness, here’s everything you need to know.
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First Things First… Is There A Jamaican Bobsleigh Team At The 2026 Winter Olympics?
Yes, yes, there is. Cool Runnings fans (so let’s face it, human beings in general) will be thrilled to know that Jamaica will be competing in the men’s two-man and men’s four-man races as well as the women’s monobob (which we’re only now realising is not a hairstyle, but an actual Olympic event).
When Are The 2026 Winter Olympics?
The 2026 Olympic Winter Games run from 6-22 Feb across the Lombardy region in Italy. And, if you also want to catch the Paralympic Winter Games, they’ll be held between 6 and 15 March.
Image Credit: Valentino Guseli | Olympics.com.au
When Is The 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony?
The Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony kicks off at 9pm 6 Feb local time in Milan, Italy. To save you from doing the time zone maths… that’s Saturday 7 Feb at 6am AEDT, 5am AEST, 5:30am ACDT, and 3am AWST
Who Is Performing In The 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony?
The biggest names you’ll probably recognise from this are Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, and Sabrina Impacciatore from The White Lotus (random, but true).
Image Credit: Instagram
Where Can I Watch The 2026 Olympic Winter Games In Australia?
You can watch the opening ceremony, select events, and Aussie highlights for free on Channel Nine or stream them live or on catch-up on 9Now.
Or, if you want full access to all events live and on demand, with coverage and commentary to boot, you’d better get yourself a Stan Sport subscription pronto.
What Are Australia’s Biggest Medal Hopes In The 2026 Olympic Winter Games?
From reigning champions to fresh new talent, this year’s Aussie line-up is one of our most promising yet.
Here are some of our top picks to look out for…
- Jakara Anthony – Moguls / Dual Moguls – Freestyle Skiing
- Scotty James – Snowboard Halfpipe
- Indra Brown – Freeski Halfpipe
- Bree Walker – Monobob & Two‑Woman Bobsleigh
- Tess Coady – Snowboard Slopestyle & Big Air
- Danielle Scott – Aerials
- Laura Peel – Aerials
Image Credit: Danielle Scott | Olympics.com.au
How Do I Know When My Favourite Winter Olympics Events Are On?
To see the full list of events, head to the Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games website or check out the coverage schedule on Stan. And, if you’re new to some of these sports, Stan has some explainer videos to get you up to speed, too.
And there you have it—everything you need to know so you can cheer on the guys and gals in green and gold this winter (or summer… depending on how you look at it).
Exhausted just reading all that? We feel you. How would you like a lowdown on how to play pickleball instead?
Main Image Credit: Alex Pantling
