Here’s Where You Can Watch the 2022 Winter Olympics

It might seem like we just had Olympic games and that’s because we did—thanks to the pandemic pushing the Summer Olympics forward a year. Now, though, the bi-annual, global sporting event is back on its typical schedule after the interruption, and it’s time to watch the games.

Whether you are mostly interested in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, have a particular sport you’re looking forward to, or just want to know how you can tune in without a cable subscription, here’s everything you need to know about watching the 2022 Winter Olympics.

When Does Winter Olympics Coverage Begin?

Considering the Opening Ceremonies haven’t happened yet, you might be surprised to find that the events are already underway!

While the Opening Ceremonies aren’t slated to be held until Friday, Feb. 4, coverage of events began on Feb. 2 with select sports already having kicked off. As for watching the athletes, here in the United States, you can do so now on the USA Network which will have 24/7 coverage. For major events (like figure skating, snowboarding, and speed skating), expect to tune in during primetime (8 p.m. ET) on NBC if you have cable.

As for the Opening Ceremony, it will air live on NBC and Peacock (the network’s streaming service) at 6:30 a.m. ET. However, you will be able to catch an edited and enhanced version of the ceremonies beginning at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Since this year’s games are held in Beijing—which is a full 12 hours ahead of the Eastern Time—events, like the ceremonies—that take place at night will generally air in the mornings and vice versa.

Where Can I Watch the Winter Olympics?

NBC is the official outlet for the Olympics, and as such, it will carry nearly all of the biggest events during primetime television beginning Feb. 3. You can also opt to head over to NBCOlympics.com or download the NBC Sports app to watch, but these will require logging in with a cable subscription. While NBC is the place to go for primetime cable coverage, it’s not the only cable network you can visit. You can also check out:

• USA Network: USA will air 400 hours of Olympic coverage including all 15 sporting events and medal ceremonies. Coverage is live now, and it’s 24/7, so you can always tune into some competition.
• CNBC: Best known for its news coverage, the network will switch over to Olympic games each night after its final newscasts. Coverage, however, will only be about 80 hours total.

Don’t worry if you don’t have cable, though. You can opt for a subscription to Peacock, where events will be streamed live as well as on-demand. The service is $4.99 per month, but if you’ve never had a subscription, you might be able to snag a free trial (and it’s likely your best bet and definitely the best deal). For alternatives, though, you can try:

• Sling TV: Those with subscriptions to Sling’s Blue and Orange plans ($35 a month) can check out the games on USA Network and the Olympics channel.
• Hulu + Live TV: Some might call this cable-adjacent, but if you pay for Hulu + Live TV ($69.99 a month), you’ll be able to watch the games on NBC and USA.
• FubuTV: While this is a subscription service ($64,99 a month), if you’ve got Fubu, you’ll be able to catch all the events on NBC and USA.
• YouTube TV: For $65 per month, you can snag several cable networks on YouTube TV including those airing the Olympics.

When Is The Closing Ceremony?

When all the medals have been won and it’s time to say goodbye to the winter games, when can you check out the Closing Ceremony? The event will take place on Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. China Standard Time, but there have been few details released regarding how or when the event will air stateside. However, based on previous years, it’s likely to air during primetime (8 p.m. ET) on NBC as well as Peacock.

Grab a patriotic snack and make viewing plans now because the winter games are here.