The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics Medal Count Begins

The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are well underway, and after the initial competition days, the medal count is beginning to reveal an interesting map of established powers and still fragile balances. With many key disciplines yet to be contested, the initial results confirm known trends but also leave room for significant shifts.

Norway and Switzerland currently share the lead with three golds each, for a total of six medals. Both teams have started the Games with solidity and consistency, particularly in alpine and Nordic disciplines, where they have historically built their Olympic dominance.

The United States appears in third position for now with two gold medals, although without silver or bronze yet. A selective start that reflects very specific victories rather than a consistent accumulation of results.

Italy, the host country, holds a unique position. With only one gold, it nonetheless has a total of nine medals, the highest so far. This figure speaks to competitive depth and a consistent presence in finals and on podiums, though without yet converting that volume into gold medal leadership.

Austria and Japan remain high in the medal standings with four medals each, while Germany maintains a more discreet but balanced profile. France, Sweden, and Czechia share similar numbers, with one gold and one silver each, reflecting a very tight race in this first group of countries.

Further down, China, South Korea, Slovenia, Canada, and Bulgaria have already reached the podium, confirming the diversity of nations with real medal prospects at these Games.

It should be noted that athletes from Russia and Belarus are participating under neutral status, not associated with their countries in the official medal count, following sanctions imposed by the International Olympic Committee.

With only a few days of competition, the medal table remains a provisional snapshot. Major alpine events, freestyle, snowboarding, and several cross-country disciplines have yet to fully unfold, so the current balance is far from definitive. Milano-Cortina 2026 has only just begun.