NBCUniversal Announces Surge in Viewership for 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics
NBCUniversal has reported a significant increase in viewership for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, with an average of 26.5 million viewers during the first five nights of coverage. This marks the highest viewership at this stage since the 2014 Sochi Games, according to an announcement made on Tuesday.
Substantial Growth Compared to Previous Olympics
The current viewership represents a 93% increase from the same period during the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, which averaged 13.7 million viewers over the first five days. This data includes audiences tuning in across multiple platforms, such as NBC, the Peacock streaming service, other NBCUniversal digital platforms, and the CNBC and USA networks.
Record-Breaking Primetime Broadcast
In a notable highlight, Front Office Sports reported that the primetime coverage on Sunday night averaged 42 million viewers, making it the most-watched individual broadcast since the Sochi Olympics. Additionally, viewers have streamed 5.3 billion minutes of content so far, largely on Peacock, which is double the streaming minutes from the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Factors Driving the Increase
The time zone difference between the United States and Italy is likely a key factor in the viewership surge. Unlike the past two Winter Olympics held in Asia, which had time differences of at least 13 hours from the U.S. East Coast, Milan is only six hours ahead, making it easier for American viewers to catch live events. NBC has committed to providing live coverage of all events through both linear and streaming platforms.
Future Outlook for Viewership
Viewership is expected to remain strong in the coming days as high-profile events unfold. Key competitions include the men's hockey competition ramping up and major events like women's and men's figure skating taking place. This continued interest suggests that the 2026 Olympics could set new records for engagement across NBCUniversal's platforms.
