Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics – Preview – Livigno, Italy – February 2, 2026 Common 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, primarily based on data compiled by CNBC from nationwide Olympic committees, sports activities associations and native studies.
Singapore tops the payout rankings for the 2026 Winter Video games.
The Southeast Asian nation provides about $792,000 for a person gold medal, $395,000 for silver and $197,000 for bronze, making it probably 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 girls’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, provides roughly $768,000 for gold, $384,000 for silver and $192,000 for bronze. The town has but to win a medal on the Winter Olympics.
In Europe, Poland stands out not just for the dimensions but in addition 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 totally 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, provides 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 acquired 300 million gained from her sports activities affiliation after profitable gold, whereas non-public firms additionally introduced extra presents, together with a luxurious watch from Swiss model Omega.
The USA Olympic & Paralympic Committee awards $37,500 for gold, $22,500 for silver and $15,000 for bronze.
Glory solely, for some
That stated, not each winter sports activities powerhouse pays direct prize cash.
Norway, which boasts probably the most medals in Winter Video games historical past, doesn’t award money bonuses for podium finishes. As a substitute, athletes who proceed competing could qualify for monetary assist 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 providers.
In some nations, there isn’t a publicly disclosed medal bonus scheme. The UK doesn’t award money bonuses for Olympic medals, which means Crew Nice Britain athletes is not going to obtain extra funds for podium finishes in 2026. As a substitute, monetary assist is offered via 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 stage.
An Olympic medal represents years of sacrifice and coaching. In a high-stakes competitors determined in seconds, a podium end can even deliver a life-changing payout.
