There will be 93 countries, plus numerous athletes from Russia and Belarus, competing at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

The Winter Olympics promise plenty of high adrenaline, fierce competition, historic firsts and emotional moments over 2 1/2 weeks. Here are some of the names and narratives to keep an eye on.

The start of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy is days away. The torch relay is nearly complete and some of the top athletes are already making headlines. There are 16 sports in all, including some never seen before, and 116 gold medals are waiting to be ...