Closing Ceremony to be Held at Historic Verona Olympic Arena
Primetime Presentation Scheduled for 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and Peacock
Closing Ceremony to Feature Parade of Athletes, including Team USA, and “Handoff” to French Alps 2030
Andrea Joyce and Lewis Johnson to Serve as Reporters
Sunday Night Basketball Featuring Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers at 6:30 p.m. ET in Between Live and Primetime Presentations of Closing Ceremony
MILAN, Italy – Feb. 20, 2026 – NBC Sports’ Olympic figure skating trio of critically-acclaimed commentator Terry Gannon, 1998 Nagano Olympic figure skating gold medalist Tara Lipinski, and two-time Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir will host NBCUniversal’s presentation of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony, featuring a must-see “handoff” to French Alps 2030, as well as the Parade of Athletes highlighted by Team USA, beginning this Sunday, Feb. 22, live at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, with primetime coverage later that day at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and Peacock.
Andrea Joyce, in her 18th overall Olympic assignment (14th with NBCUniversal), and Lewis Johnson, in his 10th NBC Olympic assignment, will serve as reporters. Primetime in Milan host Mike Tirico will contribute to the program.
Five-time Olympic hockey medalist Hilary Knight, who scored the game-tying goal in the United States’ thrilling overtime win over Canada in the women’s hockey gold medal game on Thursday, was selected to serve as a Flag Bearer for the United States alongside three-time Olympic medalist Evan Bates, who won the gold medal as part of the figure skating team event and the silver medal in ice dance with his partner, Madison Chock.
Set in historic Verona Olympic Arena – originally built in 30 AD to host gladiator battles – the Closing Ceremony is set to weave together music, art, and sport, while also paying tribute to all of the Games’ participants, with the backdrop of the iconic arena showcasing Italy’s rich heritage and culture for this final event. Sunday’s Ceremony will also see performances from popular Italian singer-songwriter Achille Lauro and famed Italian DJ Gabry Ponte, as well as an appearance by actress Benedetta Porcaroli.
Less than two weeks later, the historic Verona Olympic Arena will light up with Paralympic spirit as it serves as the site of the Opening Ceremony for the XIV Paralympic Winter Games on Friday, March 6, at 1:30 p.m. ET, live on Peacock and USA Network, with a primetime highlights presentation later that night at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
Gannon, Lipinski, and Weir – who called the past four Olympic Winter Games figure skating competitions along with NBC Sports’ top figure skating events – previously served as NBCU’s Closing Ceremony hosts for the Paris, Beijing, Tokyo, and PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Gannon also called the Opening Ceremony for Milan Cortina 2026.
From game-winning shots to surprise victories, relive some of the most riveting moments of the 2026 Winter Olympics following live coverage of the Closing Ceremony at 5 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
Following the “Best of Milan Cortina” – and leading in to the primetime presentation of the Closing Ceremony at 9 p.m. ET – will be the return of Sunday Night Basketball, featuring one of the most iconic rivalries in professional sports as LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers host Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif. – the future site of the men’s and women’s Olympic gymnastics competitions at the 2028 Summer Olympics. Coverage begins with Basketball Night in America, NBC Sports’ on-site NBA studio program, at 6 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo.
CLOSING CEREMONY PROGRAMMING ON NBC AND PEACOCK – FEBRUARY 22, 2026
How To Watch – Sunday, February 22 (all times ET)
- TV – NBC
- Streaming – Peacock, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app
| Time (ET) | Event |
2:30 p.m. | Closing Ceremony |
5 p.m. | Best of Milan Cortina 2026 |
6 p.m. | Basketball Night in America |
6:30 p.m. | Sunday Night Basketball – Celtics at Lakers |
9 p.m. | Primetime Closing Ceremony* |
*Encore presentation
For a complete archive of 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics press releases, click here.
--MILAN CORTINA 2026 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES--
