With the Winter Olympics 2026 in Milan Cortina fast approaching, excitement is building for what promises to be a spectacular festival of sport on ice and snow. The official Daily Mirror guide to the Games is now available for purchase, offering fans an unparalleled preview of the action set to begin on February 6, 2026, in Italy.
Team GB's Leading Medal Contenders for 2026
Great Britain heads to Italy with genuine hopes of a significant medal haul, backed by a cohort of world-class athletes across multiple disciplines. In snowboarding, all eyes will be on Mia Brookes, who could become the first British athlete to win two medals at a single Winter Games. The prodigy, who became the youngest snowboarding world champion in history at 16, will compete in both the slopestyle and big air events.
Freestyle skiing offers another strong opportunity through Zoe Atkin. Following in the footsteps of her bronze-medallist sister Izzy, Atkin secured world gold in the halfpipe last year and clinched the World Cup title, marking her as a model of consistency. Another freestyle skier, Kirsty Muir, is a serious prospect in big air and slopestyle. At just 21, she already boasts X Games and Youth Olympic medals.
The thrilling snowboard cross event will feature Charlotte Bankes, who is determined to make amends after a crash ended her hopes as favourite in Beijing. Since then, she has won world silver and a string of World Cup victories. Alongside Huw Nightingale, she also presents a formidable threat in the team event.
Traditional Strengths and New Horizons
Britain's traditional winter sport, skeleton, sees the men leading the charge this time. Matt Weston is the dominant force as a two-time world champion and multiple World Cup winner, with his teammate Marcus Wyatt likely to be his closest rival. In bobsleigh, Brad Hall's crew aims to end a 12-year medal drought for GB, having consistently challenged the dominant German sleds since the last Olympics.
On the ice, Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson are in the mix to win Britain's first figure skating medal since Torvill and Dean in 1994, following their world bronze in Boston last year. Curling also offers multiple medal chances: Bruce Mouat has won two world titles since his Beijing silver, and the women's rink recently took silver at the European Championships. Mouat and Jen Dodds will also be strong contenders in the mixed team event.
Global Superstars Set to Dazzle in Italy
While British hopes are high, the Games will also showcase a constellation of international talent. Fans should not miss figure skating's 'Quad God', Ilia Malinin, as he defies gravity with his jumps. Alpine skiing legend Lindsey Vonn makes a remarkable return to the Olympic stage after eight years, recently proving her enduring class by becoming the oldest skier to win a World Cup race at 41.
In other major headlines, the stars of the NHL return to contest the ice hockey medals for the first time in 12 years. Meanwhile, in cross-country skiing, the question is not if Norwegian phenomenon Johannes Høsflot Klæbo will win gold, but how many.
The Daily Mirror's comprehensive guide includes exclusive interviews, detailed explainers for all 16 sports, and a crucial day-to-day viewing schedule to ensure fans catch every moment of the action. The guide is on sale now and can be purchased online or from participating supermarkets, high street retailers, and independent newsagents from Wednesday, January 21. Online orders will be dispatched from the same date, with postage and packaging applied.
