U.S. Women’s hockey, curling, snowboarding and more: See the 2026 Olympics schedule for Thursday

Although the Opening Ceremony for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics is still a day away, competition began Wednesday, and Games Thursday mark Team USA’s first time competing.

Thursday’s competition includes alpine skiing, curling, women’s ice hockey and snowboarding. The U.S. women’s hockey team is out for revenge after the 2022 Beijing Olympics, when Team USA fell 3-2 to rivals Canada in the gold medal game.

Four of the players on the U.S. women’s hockey team have ties to the Chicago area: Abbey Murphy from Evergreen Park; Tessa Janecke from Orangeville; team captain Hilary Knight, who learned to ski in Lake Forest; and Kendall Coyne Scholfield, from Palos Heights.

In Thursday’s game, Team USA will face the Czech Republic, who won bronze in the world championships in 2022 and 2023.

Abbey Murphy is doing incredible things for Team USA and the University of Minnesota. Ashlyn Sullivan and Jordan Hall discuss why she is a young player you have to watch this Olympics.

Here’s how to watch each event:

Alpine Skiing

Timing: 4:30 a.m. CT

How to watch: Use the streaming links below

Curling

Timing: The U.S. plays its mixed doubles match against Norway at 3:05 a.m. CT and then against Switzerland at 7:30 a.m. CT.

How to watch: The events will stream live at the links below and air on USA.

It’s the only sport viewers can watch every single day of the 2026 Winter Olympics: Curling, where players take turns throwing the rock toward the house and try to get it as close to the button as possible. NBC News’ Steve Kornacki demystifies these key curling terms and explains how to tally up points.

Women’s Ice Hockey

Timing: At 9:40 a.m. CT, the U.S. Women’s ice hockey team will take on the Czech Republic. Other matchups will kick off the competition around 5 a.m.

How to watch: Use the streaming link below or the game will air on USA.

Hockey star Hilary Knight is the GOAT– just ask George Hughes, the man who taught Knight to skate and watched her fall in love with the game.