Key Takeaways
- The USA gold medal hockey game averages 26M viewers during the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
- Viewership peaked at 26 million during the overtime goal scored by Jack Hughes, securing victory for Team USA against Canada.
- NBC reported that this game became its second most-watched hockey telecast, outperforming the 2022 Beijing Games’ ratings.
The USA gold medal hockey game averages 26M viewers during the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. The game aired on NBC and streamed on Peacock. The audience measurement combined Nielsen Big Data and Adobe Analytics.
The overtime period drew approximately 26 million viewers. The main live broadcast window averaged 18.6 million viewers. Total same-day viewership reached 20.7 million after additional replays across NBC platforms.
USA Gold Medal Hockey Game Averages 26M Viewers During Overtime Peak
Viewership peaked during the overtime goal. The highest audience level occurred when the winning goal was scored. The peak audience approached 26 million viewers across platforms.
NBCUniversal reported the figures across NBC, Peacock, CNBC, and USA Network. The combined measurement reflected both television and streaming audiences.
USA Gold Medal Hockey Game Averages 26M Viewers as Team USA Wins Gold
The United States defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime. Jack Hughes scored the winning goal just over one minute into extra time. The result secured the gold medal for Team USA.
This marked the first U.S. men’s Olympic hockey gold medal since 1980. The 1980 victory is known as the “Miracle on Ice.”
USA Gold Medal Hockey Game Averages 26M Viewers and Boosts Olympic Ratings
NBC reported that the broadcast became its second most-watched hockey telecast on record. Only the 2010 Vancouver Olympic final drew a larger U.S. audience.
The 2026 Winter Olympics recorded higher ratings compared to the 2022 Beijing Games. Overall viewership increased significantly compared to the previous Winter Olympics.
The USA gold medal hockey game averages 26M viewers and became one of the most-watched events of the Milan-Cortina Games.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/sports/usas-gold-medal-hockey-game-averages-26m-viewers–flm-2026-02-25/
