The 2026 Winter Paralympics open March 6 in Northern Italy, launching nine days of elite international competition. More than 600 athletes from 56 countries gather across venues in Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo and Verona. The Games mark the 14th Winter Paralympics and arrive on the 50th anniversary of the event’s first edition.
The opening ceremony takes place at the Verona Arena in Italy and signals the official start of the Games. Coverage begins with a livestream starting at 1:30 p.m. ET, with the ceremony broadcast live beginning at 2 p.m. ET.
In the United States, NBCUniversal holds the broadcast rights. Live television coverage will air across NBC, USA Network and CNBC throughout the Games, delivering a mix of competition, highlights and featured events.
Streaming coverage will also be widely available. Peacock will carry live and on-demand coverage of every event, giving viewers access to the full competition schedule across all sports. NBC Sports Digital platforms will stream additional events throughout the nine-day program.
In total, NBCUniversal will present more than 80 hours of televised Paralympic programming. The main NBC network will air eight hours of coverage, including primetime highlight specials scheduled for March 7 and March 14.
Digital coverage expands the viewing experience even further. NBC Sports Digital will stream more than 270 hours of Paralympic competition, offering in-depth access to events from across the Alpine and Nordic venues.
The opening ceremony takes place at the historic Verona Arena, a Roman amphitheatre that sets the stage for one of the largest Paralympic gatherings in history. Competition then moves across multiple venues throughout northern Italy, mirroring the geographic spread used during the recent Winter Olympics.
Athletes will compete in 79 medal events across six sports. Para Alpine skiing, para biathlon, para cross-country skiing, para snowboarding, sled hockey and wheelchair curling form the competitive core of the Games. Together they create a program that blends speed, endurance, precision and team play across the alpine and Nordic landscapes of Italy.
Classification systems remain central to Paralympic competition. Athletes are grouped by impairment type and functional ability to create fair competition. Many events are divided into standing, sitting and vision impaired categories, while some sports organize athletes into specific sport classes that compete directly against one another.
Para Alpine skiing alone delivers one of the largest medal counts at the Games. Events such as downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super-G and combined races take place for both men and women across multiple classifications. Factored timing systems help level the field, allowing athletes from different classes to compete within the same category.
Para Nordic skiing, which includes biathlon and cross-country, adds endurance to the program. Biathlon events combine cross-country skiing with precision shooting, while cross-country races feature sprint, distance and relay formats. Athletes race within standing, sitting and vision impaired divisions, with relay events bringing multiple classifications together on the same team.
Para snowboarding continues to grow as one of the most dynamic winter events. Athletes compete in snowboard cross and banked slalom competitions, divided by upper-limb and lower-limb classifications. The format allows racers to compete head-to-head on the same course while maintaining balanced competition.
Team sports bring another dimension to the Games. Sled hockey features fast-paced action with six players per side on the ice, while wheelchair curling showcases precision and strategy in mixed-gender competitions. The mixed doubles curling event continues the sport’s expansion within the Paralympic program.
Several established Paralympic stars return to the spotlight in Milan Cortina. American champions Oksana Masters and Brenna Huckaby headline a strong United States contingent, while host nation Italy looks to decorated alpine skier Giacomo Bertagnolli to lead the home crowd.
Veteran competitors also add experience to the field. Britain’s Menna Fitzpatrick returns as the country’s most decorated Winter Paralympian, alongside Neil Simpson and his guide Andrew Simpson in visually impaired alpine events. Across the program, athletes from new and returning nations arrive ready to deliver defining performances.
Competition runs through March 15, closing with the sled hockey gold medal game. The 2026 Winter Paralympics stand as the largest and most globally connected edition of the Games to date, placing the world’s best para athletes on one of sport’s most visible stages.
