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How to watch the Olympics: TV, streaming for 2020 Tokyo Games

The Olympics have arrived. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Olympics have arrived. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

After a year's delay and a rocky run-up due to COVID-19, the Tokyo Olympics have arrived at last. Here's how to watch the Games, both live and delayed. You'll need to make sure you know the location of your NBC family of channels, and you may need to download an app or streaming service or two, but this is 2021. You're used to that already.

The time difference between Tokyo and the United States makes live viewing a bit of a challenge. Tokyo is 13 hours ahead of the United States' Eastern time zone and 16 hours ahead of the Pacific, meaning that a prime-time event in Tokyo will take place before the East Coast starts work and before the West Coast even wakes up. But with a little planning, coffee and daytime naps, you can catch the events as they happen.

Where to Watch

NBC has the rights to the Olympics, and will be showing the Games on its entire broadcast slate: NBC, NBCSN, USA, CNBC, the Olympic Channel, the Golf Channel, Telemundo and NBC Universo. The full schedule of TV listings is here.

Online, the Games will stream on the NBC Sports app, NBCOlympics.com, and Peacock. The streaming schedule is here.

The Opening Ceremony

Although the Games have already begun, the official Opening Ceremony doesn't take place until Friday night, Tokyo time. It will be broadcast live starting at 7 a.m. Eastern on NBC, and streaming live on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app. NBC will also replay the festivities in prime time.

Events by Day

There will be 339 medal events over 41 sports, so there will be plenty of opportunities to see hardware being distributed. New events this year will include 3-on-3 basketball, karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing.

Softball, soccer and shooting will start before the Opening Ceremony. All other sports kick into gear starting Friday, July 23, with the first medals being awarded in a range of events starting Saturday. For a day-by-day calendar of events, go here.

Events by Sport

All sports at the Olympics are notable, but here's a rundown of some of the best-known:

Basketball

When to watch: July 24-Aug. 8

Where to watch: CNBC, NBC Sports, NBC Olympics, Peacock

Gymnastics

When to watch: July 23-Aug. 23

Where to watch: NBC Sports, NBC Olympics, Peacock

Swimming

When to watch: July 24-Aug. 4

Where to watch: NBC Sports, NBC Olympics, Peacock

Track and Field

When to watch: July 29-Aug. 7

Where to watch: CNBC, NBC Olympics

Soccer

When to watch: July 24-Aug. 7

Where to watch: NBC Sports, NBC Olympics, Peacock

Beach volleyball

When to watch: July 23-Aug. 6

Where to watch: CNBC, NBC Olympics

Skateboarding

When to watch: July 24-Aug. 4

Where to watch: NBC Sports, NBC Olympics

Diving

When to watch: July 25-Aug. 7

Where to watch: CNBC, NBC Sports, NBC Olympics

Surfing

When to watch: July 24-31

Where to watch: NBC Sports, NBC Olympics

Follow Yahoo Sports via desktop, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and on the app to keep up with all Olympic content as it happens.