2026 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony: Where, When and What to Expect

After weeks of edge-of-your-seat finishes and emotional podiums, the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics will close with a global celebration in Verona. Watch the Closing Ceremony live on Sunday, February 22, with coverage beginning at 2:30 pm ET on NBC and simulcast on Peacock.

The ceremony typically runs about two and a half hours and follows a familiar structure: a relaxed Parade of Athletes, final speeches and awards, special performances, a handover ceremony and, finally, the extinguishing of the Olympic flame. Unlike the Opening Ceremony’s formal march, the athletes enter together "en masse in no particular order," then sit among one another to enjoy the show—a tradition dating back to Melbourne 1956.

One of the ceremony’s pivotal moments is the lowering and passing of the Olympic flag, marking the formal transition of the Games as Milan and Cortina pass the baton to the French Alps for 2030. The show’s theme, "Beauty in Action," highlights Italian heritage with a fusion of opera, music, dance, cinema, design and technology.

Italy, Verona

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