x
Breaking News
More () »

Tokyo Olympics: How to watch and live stream the Games

When do the Olympics start? How can I watch my favorite sport? What's the Olympics TV schedule? Here's all you need to know about watching the Summer Games.

WASHINGTON — This year's Summer Games, already postponed a year because of the pandemic, are getting underway. 

The Tokyo Olympics are being held without fans cheering from the stands after a state of emergency was declared in Tokyo in an effort to fight a surge in COVID-19 cases. 

Here is everything you need to know about the Games and how you can watch each competition live, on TV and online:

When do the Olympics start?

The Tokyo Olympics officially kick off Friday, July 23, with the Opening Ceremony starting at 8 p.m. local time in Japan, which is 7 a.m. ET/4 a.m. PT. 

How can I watch the Games?

NBC Olympics will be providing exclusive coverage of the Games from start to finish.

Local NBC stations will have primetime coverage each night, which can also be live-streamed from the NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com and on Peacock.

It will certainly be hard to miss something. More than 7,000 hours of Olympics coverage will be offered through the network.

“I really believe that people are craving a shared experience after all we've been through,” said Molly Solomon, executive producer of NBC's Olympics coverage.

Time difference between US and Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan, is 13 hours ahead of the east coast of the United States.

Why will the Olympics only air on NBC?

NBC Universal paid $7.75 billion for the broadcasting rights of the Olympics between 2022 and 2032.

How to watch the opening ceremony online 

NBC said the event can be live-streamed from the NBC Sports app and on NBCOlympics.com. Click here for a live stream of the event.

The Tokyo Opening Ceremony will also be broadcast live on NBC across all time zones, with coverage starting at 6:55 a.m. ET/3:55 a.m. PT.

It's the first time ever that NBC has aired a live morning broadcast of an Opening Ceremony.

Meanwhile, NBC's primetime broadcast of the Opening Ceremony will kick off Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT on TV, as well as on the NBC Sports app and NBCOlympics.com.

NBC's primetime broadcast will then be replayed overnight.

RELATED: When does Team USA march during Tokyo Olympics

RELATED: How to watch the Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony

When will the Olympics end?

The Tokyo Olympics will end following the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, August 8 at 7 a.m. ET.

Credit: AP
Two women take a selfie with the Olympic rings in the background in the Odaiba section of Tokyo, Thursday, March 12, 2020. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike spoke Thursday after the World Health Organization labeled the spreading virus a "pandemic," a decision almost certain to affect the Tokyo Olympics. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

What is the Olympic competition schedule?

The postponed 2020 Tokyo Games will feature a record 33 competitions and 339 events held across 42 competition venues.

The Olympics have released a full competition schedule for anyone to explore. However, some events may be subject to change.

Full streaming Olympic schedule by sport on NBC:

Looking for the schedule of your favorite sports like boxing, diving or golf? NBCOlympics.com has a full schedule of each Olympic sport. Below is a sport-by-sport guide.

Before You Leave, Check This Out