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Every four years (or five years, which is the case this time), the Games of the Olympiad kick off with the awe-inspiring Olympics opening ceremony, showcasing the history and culture of the host city and what’s to come from the iconic global sporting event. And with the upcoming Olympics taking place in Tokyo, which is arguably one of the most technology-advanced cities on the face of the Earth, it’s only fitting that technology has made it to where you can enjoy the big event — from the dazzling cultural showcase to Parade of Nations — easier than ever before.
In addition to being able to watch the 2021 Tokyo Olympics (after the 2020 games were postponed) kickoff event live on television, you can also watch the Tokyo opening ceremony online. Below we will break down how to watch the opening ceremony in a variety of ways as well as how to watch all the biggest events and coverage of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics streaming. Let’s get into before the Olympic Torch is lit…
When And Where The Olympics Opening Ceremony Airs On TV
Coverage of the Olympics opening ceremony will kick off at a 6:55 a.m. ET, Friday, July 23, on NBC with the ceremony itself kicking off at 7 a.m. ET. This early start time, which happens to be the earliest NBC has aired the ceremony, is due to Tokyo being 13 hours ahead of the east coast of the United States.
Those who aren’t awake, have not set their DVRs to record, or just want to wait until later in the day aren’t out of luck as NBC will air its primetime coverage of the Olympics opening ceremony starting 7:30 p.m. ET. This broadcast will feature much of the performances and pageantry from the ceremony as well as special coverage of Team USA both before and during the Parade of Nations.
How To Watch The Olympics Opening Ceremony Streaming
At the same time as the standard NBC broadcast airs live on television, you will also be able to watch the Olympics opening ceremony streaming with a cable provider login. Ahead of the games, NBCUniversal has launched NBCOlympics.com, a website that will allow you to stream the opening ceremony as well as other sporting events throughout the Summer Games. It should be noted that you will need to login with your cable/satellite/internet TV credentials to watch the ceremony and other events in full, but you can watch for 30 minutes without logging in.
Stream the Olympics Opening Ceremony on NBCOlympics.com.
A replay of the Olympics opening ceremony will be available to stream starting Saturday, July 24 on Peacock, but a Peacock Premium subscription is required to watch this replay as well as other marquee events like the U.S. Men’s Basketball games.
Stream the Olympics on Peacock.
Following The Opening Ceremony Stick Around For Olympic Events And Coverage
Throughout the Tokyo Olympics, NBCUniversal will broadcast 7,000 hours of programming across its collection of channels (both traditional and streaming). In addition to main broadcast on NBC, sports fans will be able to watch events on USA Network, CNBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel, Golf Channel, Telemundo, and Universo throughout the Summer Games.
Peacock, with its Olympics hub, will offer daily live programming throughout the event, including Tokyo LIVE, a morning show, Tokyo Gold, a show breaking down the biggest moments of the day and other in-depth stories, On Her Turf at the Olympics, a women-centric Olympics show, and Tokyo Tonight, a combination of highlights, interviews, and feature pieces. While the daily coverage is available by signing up for a free Peacock account, some events will require a premium membership.
This should get you all caught up to speed on the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony, how you can watch it (on TV and streaming), and other events taking place throughout 2021 Summer Games. If you want to know what else you can find on TV that’s not the Olympics, check out our 2021 Summer TV schedule for all the latest information.
