CBC invites audiences across the country to mark the official start of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games on Friday, March 6 with live coverage of the Opening Ceremony beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET (10:30 a.m. PT) on CBC and CBC Gem.
Hosted by CBC Paralympics daytime host Anastasia Bucsis, Paralympian and CBC Paralympics primetime host Stef Reid, and Paralympian Marissa Papaconstantinou, the Paralympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony, presented by Air Canada, will take place at the historic Roman amphitheatre, the Verona Arena. Audiences will be treated to an unforgettable event, blending spectacle, culture, and hospitality, showcasing the beauty of Italy’s monuments, the talent of its people, and the warm welcome extended to delegations from all over the world.
Following the main event, a live show hosted by CBC Sports Paralympics digital host Allison Lang will be available on the CBC Sports YouTube channel, discussing the athlete parade, torch lighting, and Italian cultural showcase. A primetime encore of the Opening Ceremony will broadcast on CBC and CBC Gem at 8:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. PT).
CBC’s coverage of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be presented in an accessible manner with closed captioning, described video and ASL integrations on CBC Gem. In addition, all of CBC’s daytime and primetime broadcast coverage will be available in described video; all live streams on CBC Gem will be offered with closed captioning; and CBC Sports Facebook and YouTube channel will provide daily hosted segments with ASL translation throughout the Games. All of CBC’s digital experiences have been created with accessibility in mind and are frequently tested with real assistive technology users to ensure a positive experience for CBC’s diverse audiences.
A team of 50 athletes, including four guides, is set to represent Canada at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games. The Canadian Paralympic Team will compete in each sport: Para alpine skiing (eight athletes), Para ice hockey (17), Para nordic skiing – including Para biathlon and Para cross-country skiing (15), Para snowboard (5), and wheelchair curling (5).
As previously announced, CBC’s broadcast schedule features three live shows daily, including: Petro-Canada Paralympic Winter Games Today hosted by Anastasia Bucsis; Paralympic Winter Games Primetime hosted by three-time Paralympic medallist Stef Reid and Canadian Tire Paralympic Games Tonight. Paralympic bronze medallist Marissa Papaconstantinou and Paralympic silver medallist Nathan Clement join CBC’s Paralympic broadcast team as special contributors.
Play-by-play and analysis will be provided for Para alpine skiing by Signa Butler and eight-time Paralympic medallist Karolina Wisniewska, and for wheelchair curling by Brenda Irving and Jill Hopkins. Paralympic gold medallist Billy Bridges and World Championship silver medallist Clair Buchanon will make up the Para ice hockey panel. Devin Heroux, Matt Cullen, Roseline Filion and Antoine Deshaies will bring audiences all the action straight from Northern Italy as the team of reporters on the ground.
CBC Sports’ digital coverage of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games will be hosted by Paralympic bronze medallist in sitting-volleyball, Allison Lang, who will provide daily updates and athlete interviews on CBC Sports digital platforms. CBC Sports will also welcome two-time Paralympic gold medallist Greg Stewart as a recurring special analyst, joining Lang in the digital studio.
In addition to the television broadcasts, CBC will offer more than 400 hours of live streaming content on CBC Gem, the exclusive home of live streaming and full replays in Canada. CBC's Milano Cortina 2026 website (cbc.ca/milanocortina2026) will provide full event schedules, results, highlights, athlete profiles, daily updates and more. The CBC News app will also feature a Paralympics section to keep fans up-to-date on their mobile devices.
Social Media:
Instagram: @CBCSports
Facebook: @CBCSports
TikTok: @cbcsports
YouTube: CBC Sports
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