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

Athletes from around the world are in the Italian Alps for the opening of the 2026 Winter Olympics on Friday – including 13 sportspeople from eight African countries. Though the continent isn't associated with winter sports,

South Africa are set to be the best-represented African country at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics (Feb. 6-22), with five athletes expected to participate among a total 13 from the continent.

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.

Even though the Olympics connect the global village, the Winter Games remain a distant dream for Africa, a continent where snow and ice are hard to find. Winter sports face high barriers from the start.