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.

Fourteen athletes from eight African nations are set to compete at the Winter Olympics, marking a significant increase from Beijing 2022.

The 2026 Winter Olympics saw a significant number of Black athletes from around the world, including two-time Olympian Erin Jackson, Laila Edwards, and Stevenson Savart, competing in sports traditionally dominated by white athletes from Nordic countries.

The 2026 Winter Olympics will see athletes competing from five MENA countries: Morocco, Lebanon, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and debutants the UAE.

Of the 122 current National Olympic Committees (NOCs) that have ever sent athletes to the Winter Olympic Games, 92 are competing in Milan Cortina. The bid to win a medal is more elusive for some than others.