Snowboarding at the 2026 Winter Olympics

Snowboarding has been part of the Winter Olympic program since the 1998 Nagano Games — so the 2026 competitions mark the sport’s continuation at the Olympic Games for the eighth Winter Olympics since its debut (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026).
Subject Snowboarding
Start Date February 5, 2026
End Date February 18, 2026
Status Coming Soon
Location Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park and Livigno Snow Park – both in Livigno, Italy
Prize Pool None
Participants 238 male and female riders
Type Outdoor
Tournament Champion
Format Multi-discipline elimination & scored performance format
Organizer International Olympic Committee (IOC), Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee, and International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS)

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Snowboarding is one of the mixed-gender individual sport disciplines contested under the XXV Winter Olympic Games (the 25th edition of the highest-ranked international multi-winter sport event), also known as Milano Cortina 2026.

Snowboarding events at Milano Cortina 2026 take place from February 5 to February 18, 2026, in the mountain town of Livigno, Italy.

The most prestigious international competition in snowboarding will be primarily organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which oversees the Olympic Games as a whole. The local organizing committee for the 2026 Games (Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee) manages planning and execution on the ground. Sport-specific competition rules and qualification systems are governed by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS).

Venue, Competitors’ Structure, and Prize Pool Overview for Snowboarding at the 2026 Winter Olympics

The snowboarding competitions at the 2026 Winter Olympics are being held on two outdoor courses and terrain parks: Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park and Livigno Snow Park.

A total of 238 snowboarders, also known as riders, are slated to compete at Milano Cortina 2026: 119 men and 119 women across all snowboarding events.

The Olympics themselves don’t award prize money to athletes for medaling in individual sports like snowboarding. Unlike the World Cup, where FIS sets a prize purse, or professional tour events, where cash payouts are given, Olympic medals are prestigious honors, but athletes don’t receive a prize pool from the IOC for winning them. Most national teams and some countries may give their own financial bonuses to medalists, but these amounts vary by country and are not set by the Olympics or FIS.

Participating Athletes in Snowboarding at the 2026 Winter Olympics and Qualification Overview

The participating snowboarders are the best snowboarders from around the world, selected by their countries. Each nation sends its top-performing athletes in different snowboarding events. There’s no fixed public list yet because the final Olympic lineup isn’t confirmed until shortly before the Games start. Teams finalize their squads after the qualification period ends.

Snowboarders qualify by earning strong results in international competitions before the Olympics. In simple terms:

  • Snowboarders compete in World Cup events and World Championships
  • Good results earn ranking points
  • Countries use these points to secure Olympic spots
  • National teams then choose which snowboarders fill those spots

So it works like this: Perform well internationally earn points your country gets places best riders are selected.

Structure and Competition Format of Snowboarding at the 2026 Winter Olympics

Snowboarding at the Olympics isn’t one single tournament — it’s made up of multiple separate events, each with its own mini-competition. Across all snowboarding disciplines, the structure usually looks like this:

Main stages (for most events):

  1. Qualification round
    February 5–12, 2026
    Riders perform runs to qualify for the next stage.
  2. Semifinals (if required)
    February 8–15, 2026
    The top riders from the qualification move forward.
  3. Finals/medal rounds
    February 10–18, 2026
    The best riders compete for Olympic medals.

Exact dates vary by discipline, but all snowboarding competitions take place within the Olympic window.

Snowboarding formats depend on the discipline, but they follow two main styles:

  1. Judged events (halfpipe, slopestyle, big air)

Format:

  • Snowboarders perform 2–3 runs
  • Only the best score counts
  • Judges score difficulty, execution, and style

Elimination system:

  • Qualification finals
  • Lowest scores are eliminated
  • Highest score in the final wins 🥇

There’s no “best-of” opponent format — snowboarders compete against scores, not directly against another athlete.

  1. Race events (snowboard cross, parallel giant slalom)

Format:

  • Riders race head-to-head
  • First to cross the finish line advances

Elimination system:

  • Heats (qualification)
  • Quarterfinals
  • Semifinals
  • Final race for medals

This works like a knockout bracket: Lose once you’re out and
win advance to the next round.

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

These snowboarders are widely seen as strong competitors in their events based on recent World Cups and World Championships results:

Halfpipe:

  • Chloe Kim (USA) — multiple Olympic medalist, very consistent
  • Ayumu Hirano (Japan) — Olympic champion, top scores internationally

Slopestyle / big air:

  • Max Parrot (Canada) — dominant in slopestyle and big air
  • Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (New Zealand) — top performer across jumps and park events

Snowboard cross:

  • Charlotte Bankes (Great Britain) — strong and fast in SX races
  • Regino Hernández (Spain) — experienced and competitive

Parallel giant slalom:

  • Andreas Prommegger (Austria) — veteran powerhouse
  • Julie Zogg (Switzerland) — consistent podium contender

Not all bookmakers treat winter sports the same. For snowboarding, bettors usually get the best experience from platforms that specialize in multi-sport coverage and niche markets:

International sportsbook platforms. These bookmakers usually offer:

  • Olympic markets for all snowboarding disciplines
  • Early odds for futures and medal races
  • Live betting during snowboard cross and parallel races

Many comparison platforms list the best betting site options based on coverage depth, odds quality, and event availability.

Winter sports-focused bookmakers. Some sportsbooks are known for strong coverage of alpine and freestyle sports. These tend to provide:

  • More snowboarding-specific markets
  • Better head-to-head matchups
  • Discipline-based betting options (halfpipe, big air, slopestyle, etc.)

Live betting platforms. Snowboard cross and parallel slalom events work well for in-play betting. Platforms with:

  • Fast live odds updates
  • Low delay streams
  • Heat-by-heat betting options
    are preferred by experienced bettors.

Snowboarding offers both performance-based and race-based betting formats, depending on the discipline.

  • Outright winner (gold medal market). This is the most popular option. You predict which snowboarder will win gold in a specific discipline.
  • Podium finish (top-3). Instead of picking only the winner, this market allows you to bet on any rider finishing in the medal positions.
  • Head-to-head matchups. You choose which of the two snowboarders will finish higher.
  • Heat winner. Used in race-based disciplines, Great for live betting.
  • Placement markets (top-5 / top-10).

The Winter Olympics are shown by official broadcasters in each country. For example:

  • USA: Typically, NBC and NBC Sports channels
  • UK: Usually BBC
  • Canada: CBC / Sportsnet
  • Australia: Nine Network

Broadcast rights vary by country, but the Olympic Broadcasting Service (OBS) produces the coverage that all official broadcasters air.

You can often watch snowboarding events live or on demand through:

  • The official Olympic Channel and Olympics website — free clips and some live streams
  • Official broadcaster apps (e.g., NBC Sports app, BBC iPlayer, CBC Gem)
  • YouTube Olympic highlights channels for event summaries

Pros and Cons of Favorites in Snowboarding at the 2026 Winter Olympics

DisciplineTop FavoritePros (Strengths)Cons (Challenges)
HalfpipeAyumu Hirano (Japan)Multiple Olympic medals; high-difficulty tricks; consistent top scores at major eventsCan be affected by small execution mistakes; weather conditions (wind) can impact performance
SlopestyleZoi Sadowski-Synnott (NZL)Creative, technical trick selection; strong recent World Cup results; experience under pressureRisk of falls on big modules; slopestyle courses vary and can disrupt rhythm
Big airMax Parrot (Canada)Exceptional amplitude and rotation; very high scoring potential; strong competitive historyHigh injury risk with very large tricks; one mistake run can significantly drop ranking
Snowboard crossCharlotte Bankes (GBR)Strong starts and race control; good adaptability to varied courses; strategic racing experienceContact crashes are common in heats; unpredictable elimination rounds
Parallel giant slalomAndreas Prommegger (AUT)Deep experience and refined technique; excellent carving skill; usually consistent timesExtremely narrow margins—one small error is costly; pressure from emerging younger competitors
Which snowboarding discipline are you most excited to watch at Milano Cortina 2026?
MILOS VASILJEVIC
He’s the mastermind behind our captivating content, leveraging his extensive journalism experience to craft compelling sports news and insightful betting predictions. His passion for the game and knack for storytelling ensure our readers are always engaged and informed, bringing a unique and expert perspective to every piece he writes.
Publication date : 24.01.2026
Last modified date: 24.01.2026

Frequently Asked Questions

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