Athletes from around the world are in the Italian Alps for the opening of the 2026 Winter Olympics on Friday – including 13 sportspeople from eight African countries. Though the continent isn't associated with winter sports,

More than 3500 athletes from 93 countries will be competing for 195 medals at the Milan-Cortina Games. Three countries will be making their Winter Olympic debuts at the 2026 Games, the African nations of Benin and Guinea Bissau along with the United Arab Emirates.

Fourteen athletes from eight African nations are set to compete at the Winter Olympics, marking a significant increase from Beijing 2022.

Bissau, along with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from the Middle East, are making their Winter Olympic debuts, while North Korea has not received an invitation. The exclusion is not due to political reasons or sanctions from the International Olympic Committee (IOC),

Technically speaking, the 2026 Winter Olympics have been underway for days now, with events such as women's hockey and curling starting early to ensure