The 2026 Winter Olympics are bringing thousands of athletes from around the world together for more than two weeks of competition — and the Games are a gold mine for statistics.

Here's a full list of the countries in the 2026 Olympics.

MILAN (AP) — Those mischievous Minions will have their Olympic moment after all. Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate obtained the final approval he needed for his music on Friday, allowing the Spanish figure skater to perform his short program — set to a medley from the animated comedy from Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment — when the men's competition begins at the Milan Cortina Games on Tuesday night.

There are 206 National Olympic Committees worldwide, which are devised by the IOC and the International Sport Federation. These two organizations are the sole authorities who come together to recognize NOCs for the official Summer and Winter Games.

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, have arrived as the top figure skaters in the world are set to compete for their respective nations on the global stage.

An Olympic figure skater will have to make a last-minute change to his routine due to issues with his choice of music. Like other athletes hoping to bring a medal home, Spain’s Tomás-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté is counting down the days until the Winter Olympics kick off in Milan next Friday (February 6).

It’s been an exciting first full day of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Men’s snowboard big air: Japan’s Kira Kimura walked away with a gold medal after wowing judges and getting the highest score on his final run. Ryoma Kimata, also representing Japan, finished with silver.

The 2026 Winter Olympics, featuring 16 sports with 116 medal events, will take place from Feb. 4 to Feb. 22 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Preliminary events will begin on Feb. 4, the opening ceremony will be Feb.

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — Getting ready for his third Olympics spread across a lifetime of snowboarding, 37-year-old halfpipe rider Louie Vito recounts his injuries — only the worst of the worst — like he's checking items off a grocery list.

MILAN (AP) — It's the message no figure skater wants to get. At any time, an email could block them from using the music they've built their Olympic programs around. As the skating world grapples with a music standoff involving the lovable,

The 2026 Winter Olympics will feature a Minions-themed routine from skater Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté, despite a last-minute copyright issue dubbed “Minionsgate.”