The French team at the 2026 Olympics

French delegation for the 2026 Olympic Games

The French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) has announced that the French delegation will be "in force" for the 2026 Olympics, with a record number of members estimated between 160 and 165 athletes according to Eurosport.
Among the data provided by the French team for the 2026 Olympics, here is a list:

• A record rate of ≈ 45 % of women in this delegation.
• A stated ambition: to be included in the Top 5 nations in the medal standings the Winter Olympics. 
• A specific target: "We reasonably believe... we can achieve slightly more than 50 medals compared to the 2022 Beijing Games (14 medals)." This could mean aiming for approximately 21 medals. 
• This will be "the largest delegation in our history to the Winter Games". 

This strategy is part of the perspective of the 2030 Winter Olympics which France will host in the Alps, which makes Milan-Cortina 2026 symbolically and strategically important. 

Video from the @EquipeFra channel: France at the 2026 Olympics

Swiss Delegation

Swiss Olympic is also anticipating a large delegation for the 2026 Olympic Games. Here are the main points:

• The organization expects more than 180 athletes Swiss for Milan-Cortina. 
• An earlier communication even mentioned "some 190 athletes".
• To support this delegation, including coaches and staff, Swiss Olympic anticipates a presence of approximately 500 people in total. 

This strong mobilization shows that Switzerland sees this event as an important moment in its winter sporting cycle.

Comparison and issues

Size of delegations

• France: ~160-165 athletes announced.
• Switzerland: ~180+ athletes expected.

Thus, Switzerland plans to field a slightly larger team than France. Given the size of the two countries, this is quite surprising. However, this could be linked to training in numerous winter sports, Switzerland's favorable Alpine geography, and the country's performance-oriented approach. It's also worth remembering that skiing and ice hockey are among the most popular sports in Switzerland, along with football.

Performance ambitions

• France has clearly set a target of "top 5" in the medal standings and an increase of ~50 % compared to the 14 medals of 2022.
• For Switzerland, even though a precise numerical target is not mentioned in the sources consulted, the size of the delegation and the overall commitment suggest a strong ambition.

Strategic context

• For France, Milan-Cortina 2026 is a springboard towards the 2030 Winter Olympics, which it will host. This adds a "home preparation" dimension and a momentum effect.
• For Switzerland, the geographical advantage (relatively close to the Alps, northern Italy) and winter infrastructure reinforces the favorable context.

Risks and challenges

• Greater delegation means more logistics, coordination, and costs. Maintaining a high level of performance is more complex.
• France's ambition to reach ~21 medals (potentially a record) will depend on the form of the athletes, international competition, quotas and disciplinary selections.
• For Switzerland, converting a large number of athletes into effective results remains a challenge: a large number of athletes + numerous disciplines does not guarantee medals.

In the end, it's not the size that matters.

On the eve of the 2026 Winter Games, France and Switzerland are each showing a strong mobilization: one with a record delegation for its history (between 160-165 athletes), the other with an even higher number (≈ 180-190 athletes) and a very structured preparation framework.
While France is clearly aiming for a top-five medal finish, Switzerland, thanks to its strong roster, could also target impressive performances, capitalizing on its winter strengths. The "team strength/ambition" duel between the two nations thus promises to be one of the interesting sub-events of the Milan-Cortina Games.