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The Olympic freestyle skiing competition represents the highest level of achievement in the sport. It brings together the world’s best performers across disciplines such as moguls, aerials, ski cross, slopestyle, big air, and halfpipe, offering unmatched global exposure and prestige beyond World Cup or World Championship events.

The event is organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in cooperation with the Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee, with technical oversight provided by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS).

Venues, Competitors’ Structure, and Prize Pool Overview for Freestyle Skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics

Freestyle skiing events at the 2026 Winter Olympics will be staged across two purpose-built outdoor open-air mountain environments, natural snow venues, and terrain parks designed specifically for Olympic freestyle disciplines in Livigno, with the Italian Alps’ town cementing its role as one of the main snow-sports hubs of the Games. These venues are Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park will host competitions in moguls and aerials, while the Livigno Snow Park will host competitions in ski cross, slopestyle, big air, and halfpipe.

Approximately 240–250 freestyle skiers are expected to compete across all freestyle skiing disciplines at Milano–Cortina 2026. This total includes men’s and women’s events, and is in line with athlete quotas from recent Winter Olympics.

There’s no monetary prize pool at the Olympic Games.
Instead, athletes compete for Olympic medals. While no prize money is awarded by the IOC, Olympic medals often lead to national bonuses, sponsorship deals, and long-term commercial value for athletes through their national federations and personal endorsements.

Participating Skiers in Freestyle Skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics and Qualification Overview

The final list of freestyle skiers for the 2026 Winter Olympics isn’t yet confirmed. Official athlete entries will only be finalized shortly before the Games in early 2026, after the qualification window closes and national federations submit their final selections. However, based on recent World Cup seasons, World Championships, and Olympic cycles, the expected pool of Olympic contenders includes many of the sport’s current elite across disciplines.

Likely Olympic-level contenders (by discipline & nation)

Moguls / dual moguls

• Mikaël Kingsbury (Canada)
• Perrine Laffont (France)
• Ikuma Horishima (Japan)
• Jaelin Kauf (USA)
• Walter Wallberg (Sweden)

Aerials

• Qi Guangpu (China)
• Xu Mengtao (China)
• Noé Roth (Switzerland)
• Hanna Huskova (Belarus, subject to eligibility rules)

Ski cross

• Reece Howden (Canada)
• Sandra Näslund (Sweden)
• Fanny Smith (Switzerland)
• Ryan Regez (Switzerland)

Slopestyle / big air

• Birk Ruud (Norway)
• Eileen Gu (China)
• Alex Hall (USA)
• Sarah Höfflin (Switzerland)
• Andri Ragettli (Switzerland)

Halfpipe

• Nico Porteous (New Zealand)
• David Wise (USA)
• Cassie Sharpe (Canada)
• Zoe Atkin (Great Britain)

Final participation depends on quota limits, national selections, form, injuries, and eligibility rules.

Freestyle skiers qualify for the Olympics through a multi-layered international system governed by the FIS and IOC.

1. Olympic qualification period

Athletes must compete during the official Olympic qualification window (2024–early 2026), during which results are tracked across:

• FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup events
• FIS World Championships
• Designated FIS-sanctioned competitions

Only results earned within this window count toward Olympic qualification.

2. Discipline-specific quota allocation

Each freestyle discipline (moguls, aerials, ski cross, slopestyle, big air, halfpipe) has:

• A fixed athlete quota
• Separate men’s and women’s allocations

Quotas are primarily awarded to National Olympic Committees (NOCs) rather than individual athletes.

3. World ranking & minimum eligibility

To be eligible, skiers must:

• Rank sufficiently high in FIS Olympic Points Lists for their discipline
• Meet minimum technical and participation standards set by FIS
• Hold a valid competition license and meet age requirements

4. National selection

Once a country earns quota places:

• National ski federations select which athletes fill those spots
• Selection is based on internal criteria such as:
  • World Cup results
  • Championship performances
  • Head-to-head trials
  • Current form and fitness

5. Host nation quotas

Italy, as the host nation, receives:

• Guaranteed minimum quota places in selected freestyle disciplines
• Provided athletes meet basic eligibility standards

Structure and Performance Format of Freestyle Skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics

First of all, freestyle skiing isn’t a single bracketed tournament.
Each discipline runs as a standalone Olympic competition with its own stages and formats.

Freestyle skiing at Milano–Cortina 2026 will run across multiple days between February 6 and February 22, 2026, depending on the discipline.

Typical Olympic structure (by discipline)

1. Moguls & dual moguls

Stages:

1. Qualification round
2. Finals (single or multiple heats)

Dates:

• Expected between February 8–15, 2026

2. Aerials

Stages:

1. Qualification
2. Final round (often split into Final 1 & Final 2)

Dates:

• Expected between February 9–16, 2026

3. Ski cross

Stages:

1. Time trials (seeding/qualification)
2. Heats (round of 16 → quarterfinals → demifinals → finals)

Dates:

• Expected between February 14–20, 2026

4. Slopestyle

Stages:

1. Qualification
2. Finals

Dates:

• Expected between February 10–18, 2026

5. Big air

Stages:

1. Qualification
2. Finals

Dates:

• Expected between February 17–22, 2026

6. Halfpipe

Stages:

1. Qualification
2. Finals

Dates:

• Expected between February 12–20, 2026

Freestyle skiing doesn’t use “best-of” or “first-to” formats like those used in traditional sports or eSports. Formats vary by discipline:

Judged disciplines (moguls, aerials, slopestyle, big air, halfpipe)

Format:

• Athletes perform multiple runs
• Judges score based on:
  • Difficulty
  • Execution
  • Air
  • Style/creativity (discipline-specific)

Elimination system:

• Qualification → top X advance
• Finals → best score (or best single run) wins

Key rules:

• Often best score counts
• In some finals, athletes get 2–3 runs, with the highest score deciding medals

Head-to-head discipline (ski cross)

Format:

• Four skiers race simultaneously
• Top-2 from each heat advance

Elimination system:

• Knockout bracket:
  • Round of 16
  • Quarterfinals
  • Semifinals
  • Small final & big final

Winner:

• First skier to cross the line in the big final

Favorites in Freestyle Skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Betting Options, and Where to Watch

Final entries will be confirmed closer to the Games, but the athletes mentioned above as likely participants are widely regarded as top Olympic medal contenders based on their recent World Cup and World Championship performances.

Betting availability varies by country and regulation. Common betting markets for Olympic freestyle skiing:

• Outright winner (gold medalist)
• Podium finish (top-3)
• Head-to-head matchups
• Nation to win most medals (freestyle skiing)

Where betting is typically available:

• Licensed international sports betting platforms
• Operators offering Olympic winter sports markets
• Some exchange-style platforms may offer head-to-head pricing

Markets at online sportsbooks from the bookies list covering winter sports usually open shortly before the Games, once the final athlete lists and start orders are confirmed.

Freestyle skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics can be watched via:

Global broadcasters

• NBC / Peacock – United States
• Eurosport & Discovery+ – Europe
• CBC – Canada
• BBC – United Kingdom (selected events)
• RAI – Italy (host broadcaster)

Official Olympic streaming

• Olympics.com – Highlights, replays, and selected live streams
• IOC digital platforms – Depending on the region

Coverage typically includes live finals, qualification highlights, slow-motion replays, and expert commentary for all freestyle disciplines.

Pros and Cons of Favorites in Freestyle Skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics