Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics – Preview – Livigno, Italy – February 2, 2026 Basic view of the Olympic rings forward of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
Marko Djurica | Reuters
For athletes on the ongoing 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, a podium end can imply greater than glory and a medal. In some nations, it additionally comes with watches and six-figure payouts.
Almost 2,900 athletes from greater than 90 nationwide Olympic committees are competing on the Winter Video games throughout 116 medal occasions throughout eight sports activities.
Whereas the Worldwide Olympic Committee doesn’t award prize cash, many governments and nationwide Olympic our bodies provide money bonuses.
Right here is how some nations stack up, based mostly on data compiled by CNBC from nationwide Olympic committees, sports activities associations and native reviews.
Singapore primes the payout rankings for the 2026 Winter Video games.
The Southeast Asian nation presents about $792,000 for a person gold medal, $395,000 for silver and $197,000 for bronze, making it essentially the most beneficiant gold-medal payout among the many nations reviewed.
Singapore has solely competed in a single earlier Winter Video games, the 2018 version, the place short-track speedskater Cheyenne Goh completed twenty eighth within the ladies’s 1,500 meters.
The nation is once more represented by a single athlete in Italy: alpine skier Faiz Basha, who failed to complete the primary run of the large slalom on the Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio, ending his marketing campaign in a area of 81 athletes.
Hong Kong, which has despatched alpine skiers and short-track speedskaters to compete in Italy, presents roughly $768,000 for gold, $384,000 for silver and $192,000 for bronze. Town has but to win a medal on the Winter Olympics.
In Europe, Poland stands out not just for the dimensions but additionally for the number of its rewards. Particular person gold medalists can obtain about $211,000. The package deal additionally features a Toyota Corolla passenger automotive, a completely completed two-room residence, a portray, a vacation voucher and jewellery.
Work and jewellery are additionally a part of the entitlements supplied to silver and bronze medalists, together with financial rewards of about $169,000 and $124,000, respectively.
Italy, the host nation, presents about $214,000 for gold, $107,000 for silver and $71,000 for bronze.
South Korea awards about $208,000 for gold, roughly $139,000 for silver and $70,000 for bronze.
In some instances, rewards prolong past customary medal bonuses. South Korean state media reported that snowboarder Choi Ga-on obtained 300 million gained from her sports activities affiliation after successful gold, whereas personal corporations additionally offered extra items, together with a luxurious watch from Swiss model Omega.
The US Olympic & Paralympic Committee awards $37,500 for gold, $22,500 for silver and $15,000 for bronze.
Glory solely, for some
That mentioned, not each winter sports activities powerhouse pays direct prize cash.
Norway, which boasts essentially the most medals in Winter Video games historical past, doesn’t award money bonuses for podium finishes. As an alternative, athletes who proceed competing might qualify for monetary help from the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee. The stipend is value roughly 160,000 Norwegian kroner per yr ($16,831) and consists of entry to skilled coaching and medical companies.
In some nations, there isn’t any publicly disclosed medal bonus scheme. The UK doesn’t award money bonuses for Olympic medals, that means Workforce Nice Britain athletes is not going to obtain extra funds for podium finishes in 2026. As an alternative, monetary help is offered by means of UK Sport, which makes use of Nationwide Lottery funding to again coaching, teaching and athlete growth.
China additionally doesn’t publish a standardized nationwide payout construction for Winter Video games medals, with rewards typically decided on the provincial or sponsor degree.
An Olympic medal represents years of sacrifice and coaching. In a high-stakes competitors determined in seconds, a podium end may convey a life-changing payout.
