Milan Cortina Paralympics Open With Record Fields
The 2026 Winter Paralympics opened in Verona with roughly 600–665 athletes competing for 79 medals across six sports, with coverage on NBC and Peacock and competition running through March 15, 2026.
PBS NewsHourThe 2026 Winter Paralympics have begun. Here are the 6 sports athletes are competing in
Rolling StoneHere’s How You Can Stream the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games for Free Without Cable
NPRYour Winter Paralympics primer: What, who and how to watch
Associated PressA guide to the six sports at the Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics
TIME MagazineWhy You Should Watch the Paralympics
Overview
The 2026 Winter Paralympics opened on March 6, 2026, with an opening ceremony in Verona, Italy, organizers said.
Milan Cortina will feature roughly 600 to 665 athletes competing for 79 medals across six sports, organizers said.
NBC will broadcast the opening ceremony and offer a record eight hours of TV coverage while Peacock will stream every sport live, the network said.
Officials said Iran will not be represented because its sole athlete cannot travel safely, and 10 athletes from Russia and Belarus are competing under their own flags.
Competition runs through March 15, 2026, culminating in a closing ceremony in Cortina and featuring para alpine skiing, para biathlon, para cross-country, para ice hockey, para snowboard and wheelchair curling.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this guide neutrally, focusing on descriptive, factual information about events, classifications and venues without loaded language, selective sourcing or omitted viewpoints. The coverage emphasizes rules and logistics (e.g., event lists, classification systems, venues) rather than opinion, showing clear editorial restraint and no framing.
FAQ
611 Para athletes from 55 delegations are competing, surpassing the record from PyeongChang 2018.[1]
The sports are para alpine skiing, para biathlon, para cross-country skiing, para ice hockey, para snowboard, and wheelchair curling.
The opening ceremony took place on March 6, 2026, at the Arena di Verona in Verona, Italy.
NBC will broadcast the opening ceremony and provide eight hours of TV coverage, while Peacock will stream every sport live.[5]
Iran's sole athlete cannot travel safely, so the country is not represented; 10 athletes from Russia and Belarus are competing under their own flags.[story]
