Do Olympians get paid? How much do they get for winning medals in the 2026 Winter Olympics?
For all the hard work athletes put in representing their country at the Winter Olympics, they are not paid the generous salary you might expect for winning.
Standing atop the podium at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy comes with glory, a medal ceremony, and, depending on your passport, a very different payday.
As the Games unfold across Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, fans are watching skiers, snowboarders, figure skaters and hockey stars chase history. But does all that training and all that glory actually literally pay off? The answer is yes, but not by the Olympics themselves.
The IOC does not pay medal bonuses
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not award prize money for medals. That means no automatic check for gold, silver or bronze from the Olympic organizers.
Instead, any bonus comes from National Olympic committees, government incentive programs, and individual sport federations. So what an athlete earns for winning in Milan-Cortina depends entirely on which country they represent.
Which countries pay the most in 2026?
According to data compiled from national Olympic committees ahead of the Winter Games, Singapore is offering the largest medal bonuses of any nation competing in Italy.
Despite sending just one athlete to the 2026 Games, Singapore is reportedly awarding:
- Gold: $788,907
- Silver: $394,497
- Bronze: $197,282
Hong Kong is close behind, offering approximately:
- Gold: $767,747
Meanwhile, host nation Italy, where the Games are being staged across Milan and Cortina, is paying:
- Gold: $213,418
- Silver: $106,707
- Bronze: $71,148
For winter sports powerhouses like alpine skiing and speed skating, that’s a significant incentive. In contrast, several major winter sports nations do not offer direct medal prize money at all. Neither Norway, Sweden, nor Great Britain receive money for bronze, silver, or gold medals.
Athletes from those countries receive funding through different systems, often centralized training support, lottery funding or federation backing, but no direct medal bonus check. Some countries, like Poland, offer non-monetary gifts. Polish athletes who win gold will receive a Toyota Corolla, fully furnished two-room apartment, a painting, holiday voucher and jewelry.
The differences amongst the countries reflect national sports models. Countries like Singapore and Hong Kong use large medal bonuses as incentives to drive elite performance and international visibility.
Meanwhile, Scandinavian nations such as Norway, arguably the most dominant Winter Olympic country in history, focus heavily on publicly funded athlete development systems rather than one-time rewards.
What about the United States?
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) traditionally offers medal bonuses through “Operation Gold”. Team USA athletes in the 2026 Winter Olympics will receive:
- $37,500 for gold
- $22,500 for silver
- $15,000 for bronze
Those bonuses are subject to federal taxation, though Congress has previously exempted many Olympic medal earnings for lower-income athletes.
For global stars in winter sport, however, sponsorship deals are typically far more lucrative than medal bonuses. But unlike Summer Olympians in globally followed sports like basketball or track, many Winter athletes compete in niche disciplines with smaller audiences and fewer commercial opportunities.
For lugers, biathletes, Nordic combined skiers or skeleton racers, government stipends and Olympic medal bonuses can represent a meaningful portion of their annual income. In some countries, winning gold can also unlock lifetime stipends, miilitary or government promotions, tax exemptions, and performance grants.
A gold medal in Milan-Cortina could mean nearly $800,000 for one athlete and zero dollars for another. And while the Olympic motto celebrates faster, higher, stronger, the financial reality behind those words depends largely on the flag stitched to an athlete’s sleeve.
Related stories
Meet Nazgul: The Olympic dog who almost won a race
Eileen Gu fires back at “ridiculous” question about Olympic silvers
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.