Swiss delegation for the 2026 Winter Olympics

The 2026 Winter Olympics, to be held from February 6 to 22 in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, already had a historic character even before they began. For Swiss Olympic, this event promises to be another major chapter in its commitment: the Swiss delegation could well set a new record, both in terms of the number of participants and the diversity of disciplines.

Liste des athlètes Suisse pour le JO 2026

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Towards a record participation

According to the latest data, Switzerland plans to hire approximately 180 athletes (contre 168 lors des derniers JO Pékin) pour Milan-Cortina 2026. Including the various support staff of the Olympic team, Swiss Olympic estimates that the Swiss delegation for the 2026 Olympic Games will number nearly 500 people.
This number marks a notable increase in participation, and reflects Swiss Olympic's ambition to give an ever-increasing number of Swiss athletes the opportunity to shine on the world stage.

List of Swiss athletes selected for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games

Swiss Olympics News: https://www.swissolympic.ch/fr/news

All for skiing and sport with Ochsner Sport

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For the moment, only the curlers have their selection secured.

Curling

• Women: Silvana Tirinzoni (skip/third), Alina Pätz (fourth), Carole Howald (second), Selina Witschonke (lead)
• Men: Yannick Schwaller (skip/third), Benoît Schwarz-van Berkel (fourth), Sven Michel (second), Pablo Lachat-Couchepin (lead)
• Mixed doubles: Briar Schwaller-Hürlimann and Yannick Schwaller

Why such an increase?

Several factors explain why the Swiss delegation could reach (or even exceed) a record threshold:

• Diversification of winter sports. With the official introduction of ski mountaineering at the 2026 Games and the increase in events in certain disciplines, the opportunities for Switzerland to qualify athletes are multiplying. 
• Qualification of women's and men's ice hockey teams, which significantly increases the total staff size.
• "Swiss Olympic" strategy focused on performance and critical mass. Swiss Olympic, as the national Olympic committee, actively supports Swiss sports federations in order to optimize qualification quotas and increase Swiss representation. 
• Switzerland's "skiing and winter sports" asset. The country has a pool of competitive athletes in key disciplines (alpine skiing, biathlon, ice hockey, snowboarding) which makes it possible to aim for maximum numbers in several of them.

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What's "new" for Swiss Olympic and Switzerland?

• Gender balance With 44 men and 45 women already announced, Switzerland is part of the general dynamic of the 2026 Games, which will be among the most balanced in terms of gender.
• Ice hockey : The qualification of the Swiss hockey team and the announcement as early as June 2025 of the first top-level players (Roman Josi, Kevin Fiala, Nico Hischier…) demonstrate the Swiss ambition to shine collectively as well.
• Enhanced media coverage : With a delegation of this size, Swiss Olympic expects increased visibility, which can boost engagement from sponsors, athletes and the general public.

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The challenges to overcome

However, reaching or exceeding a record number of employees is not without its challenges:

• Qualification & quotas Each discipline imposes strict qualification criteria. Optimizing quotas is a long and technical process.
• Logistics & budget : More athletes means more logistics (accommodation, transport, supervision) and a larger budget for Swiss Olympic.
• Expected results An expanded delegation raises performance expectations. Athletes will be under pressure to translate this potential into medals or high-level performances.

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In summary

For Swiss Olympic and for Switzerland, the Milan-Cortina 2026 Games represent a major opportunity: not only to field a large and balanced delegation, but also to position the country at the heart of the global Olympic winter. If the goal of a new record number of athletes is achieved, it could symbolize a new era for Swiss winter sport, combining mass participation, ambition, and excellence.