Athletes from around the world are in the Italian Alps for the opening of the 2026 Winter Olympics on Friday – including 13 sportspeople from eight African countries. Though the continent isn't

From deserts to snow-covered peaks, the Middle East and North Africa are making some serious noise at the Winter Olympics. Milano Cortina 2026 (February 6–22) isn’t just about medals, it’s about trailblazers rewriting what winter sport looks like.

South Africa are set to be the best-represented African country at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics (Feb. 6-22), with five athletes expected to participate among a total 13 from the continent.

Over six decades since an African nation made its Winter Olympics debut, the continent's first medal remains elusive. Can any of the eight in Milan-Cortina achieve medal success?

With the 2026 Winter Olympics just a few days away, here's the official medal count for each country heading into the Games.