When Team USA Competes — Winter Olympics 2026
When Team USA Competes — Winter Olympics 2026

One of the biggest challenges for American viewers during the 2026 Winter Olympics is not what to watch, but when to watch it. With competitions spread across northern Italy, understanding the time difference is essential if you want to catch Team USA events live instead of relying on replays.

The Key Time Difference to Know

Italy operates on Central European Time (CET), which is:

  • 6 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time (ET)

  • 7 hours ahead of Central Time (CT)

  • 9 hours ahead of Pacific Time (PT)

In simple terms:
When it’s 12:00 p.m. (noon) in Italy, it’s 6:00 a.m. ET in the U.S.

This time gap shapes how the entire Olympic schedule looks from an American perspective.

Read more: Team USA Schedule at the 2026 Winter Olympics: Full Competition Calendar, Key Events, and How to Follow

Morning Events in Italy = Overnight or Early Morning in the U.S.

Most endurance and outdoor sports are scheduled in the morning local time to take advantage of weather and course conditions. These events typically start between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. CET.

What That Means in the U.S.

  • 2:00–5:00 a.m. ET

  • 11:00 p.m.–2:00 a.m. PT (previous night)

Sports Most Affected

  • Alpine skiing (downhill, Super-G)

  • Cross-country skiing

  • Biathlon

  • Nordic combined

  • Sliding sports (bobsled, luge, skeleton)

For U.S. fans, these events are usually watched:

  • Live by early risers or overnight viewers

  • On replay later in the day via streaming

  • In condensed highlight form during prime-time broadcasts

Afternoon Events in Italy = Late Morning to Early Afternoon ET

This is the most viewer-friendly window for Americans watching live.

Afternoon sessions in Italy generally run from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. CET, which converts to:

  • 7:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. ET

  • 4:00–8:00 a.m. PT

Sports Commonly Scheduled Here

  • Figure skating (short programs and some medal events)

  • Speed skating

  • Short track speed skating

  • Freestyle skiing finals

  • Snowboarding finals

This window allows U.S. viewers to:

  • Watch live in the morning

  • Stream events at work or school

  • Catch full competitions without staying up overnight

Many of Team USA’s strongest medal opportunities fall into this category.

Evening Events in Italy = Afternoon Viewing in the U.S.

Some high-profile events are intentionally scheduled for Italian prime time, especially those with large in-person audiences.

Evening sessions typically begin around 7:00–9:00 p.m. CET, which equals:

  • 1:00–3:00 p.m. ET

  • 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. PT

Key Sports in This Window

  • Ice hockey (especially medal rounds)

  • Figure skating finals

  • Curling playoff matches

  • Opening and Closing Ceremonies

These events are among the easiest for U.S. audiences to watch live, often airing during lunch hours or early afternoon.

Why Prime-Time Replays Still Matter in the U.S.

Even though many Team USA events air live outside traditional U.S. prime time, American broadcasters still structure coverage for evening audiences.

What Happens in Prime Time (ET)

  • Major Team USA moments are replayed

  • Medal ceremonies are rebroadcast

  • Multiple sports are packaged into highlight-driven shows

  • Commentary is tailored to U.S. viewers

This means:

  • You don’t need to watch everything live to stay informed

  • The biggest Team USA performances will almost always be shown again between 7:00–11:00 p.m. ET

Streaming platforms make it even easier to watch full replays on demand.

Best Viewing Strategy for U.S. Fans

To get the most out of the Games:

  • Early morning (ET): Watch alpine skiing and Nordic events live if possible

  • Late morning to early afternoon: Ideal window for figure skating, speed skating, freestyle, and snowboarding

  • Evening: Catch curated prime-time coverage and medal highlights

Many fans combine:

  • Live morning viewing

  • On-demand replays in the afternoon

  • Prime-time recaps at night

Bottom Line

Because Italy is six hours ahead of the U.S. East Coast, Team USA events will air across nearly every time block of the American day. While some competitions require early alarms, many of the most anticipated events fall into late-morning or afternoon U.S. viewing windows, with prime-time replays ensuring nothing important is missed.

Understanding this rhythm is the key to following Team USA smoothly throughout the 2026 Winter Olympics, whether you prefer watching live, streaming on demand, or catching the biggest moments at night.