Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics – Preview – Livigno, Italy – February 2, 2026 Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics – An overview of the Olympic rings ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Marco Julica | Reuters
For athletes at the ongoing 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, a podium finish means more than glory and medals. In some countries, it also comes with a clock and a six-figure payout.
The Winter Games will feature nearly 2,900 athletes from more than 90 national Olympic committees, competing in 116 medal events across eight sports.
Although the International Olympic Committee does not award cash prizes, many governments and national Olympic organizations do offer cash bonuses.
Here’s how some countries stack up, based on information compiled by CNBC from national Olympic committees, sports associations and local reports.
Singapore topped the prize money list for the 2026 Winter Games.
The Southeast Asian nation offers prize money of about $792,000 for an individual gold medal, $395,000 for a silver medal and $197,000 for a bronze medal, making it the most generous gold medal payout among the countries surveyed.
Singapore has only competed in the Winter Olympics once before, in 2018, when short track speed skater Cheyenne Goh finished 28th in the women’s 1,500 meters.
There was once again only one player representing Italy. Alpine skier Faiz Basha failed to complete the first run of the giant slalom at Bormio’s Stelvio Ski Center, leaving him among 81 competitors.
Hong Kong, which sends alpine skiers and short track speed skaters to the Italian Games, is offering about $768,000 for gold, $384,000 for silver and $192,000 for bronze. The city has yet to win a medal at the Winter Olympics.
Even in Europe, Poland stands out not only for its size but also for the diversity of its rewards. Individual gold medalists can receive approximately $211,000. The package also includes a Toyota Corolla passenger car, a completed two-room apartment, paintings, holiday vouchers and jewelry.
Paintings and jewelry are also part of the entitlements offered to silver and bronze medalists, who receive prize money of approximately $169,000 and $124,000, respectively.
Host country Italy is offering about $214,000 for a gold medal, $107,000 for a silver medal and $71,000 for a bronze medal.
South Korea awarded about $208,000 in gold, $139,000 in silver and $70,000 in bronze.
In some cases, rewards extend beyond standard medal bonuses. South Korean state media reported that after snowboarder Choi Ga-on won the gold medal, she received 300 million won from the sports association, as well as additional gifts from private companies, including a luxury watch from Swiss brand Omega.
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee will award $37,500 for the gold medal, $22,500 for the silver medal and $15,000 for the bronze medal.
Only glory for some
However, not all winter sports powerhouses pay out prize money directly.
Norway, which has won the most medals in Winter Olympics history, does not give cash bonuses for podium finishes. In return, athletes who continue to compete may be eligible for financial support from the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee. The benefits are worth approximately NOK 160,000 ($16,831) per year and include access to specialized training and medical services.
In some countries, the medal bonus system is not published. Britain does not give cash bonuses for Olympic medals. This means British Team players will not receive any extra pay if they finish on the podium in 2026. Instead, financial support will be provided through UK Sport, which uses National Lottery funding to support training, coaching and player development.
Additionally, China has not published a standardized national payment structure for Winter Games medals, with compensation often determined at the provincial or sponsor level.
Olympic medals are the result of years of sacrifice and training. It’s a high-stakes race decided in seconds, and a podium finish can bring life-changing prizes.
