The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina are just weeks away (starting February 6), and at SportsBrackets.net, we’re excited to preview the predicted medal tally as part of our ongoing coverage. With athletes gearing up for the Italian Alps, fan discussions and expert forecasts point to a familiar battle at the top. Norway remains a strong favorite to lead again, building on their dominance in recent Games like Beijing 2022.
How is the Predicted Medal Tally Determined?
To give you a sense of the landscape, we’ve referenced several sources, including fan-driven analyses, drawing from world champions and recent results. These are early projections for the 2026 Winter Olympics, and can shift with form, injuries, and breakout performances, but they provide a fun baseline for bracket planning.
Norway is widely tipped to top the standings, with Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, and Canada also in strong contention across disciplines like cross-country skiing, speed skating, and hockey. For the full event timeline, check our detailed 2026 Olympics Schedules. And if ice hockey is your focus, don’t miss our Hockey Schedule for 2026.
Early Favorites: Predicted Gold Medals
Gold medals often set the tone for the overall table. Here’s a snapshot from fan-sourced data highlighting the tight race:
| Rank | Country | Predicted Gold Medals |
| 1 | Norway | 22 |
| 2 | Germany | 22 |
| 3 | Netherlands | 20 |
| 4 | USA | 19 |
| 5 | Canada | 15 |
| 6 | Sweden | 12 |
| 7 | France | 12 |
| 8 | Japan | 10 |
| 9 | Italy | 8 |
| 10 | Republic of Korea | 8 |
Norway and Germany are projected neck-and-neck for the most golds, with the Dutch potentially excelling in speed skating.
Early Favorites: Predicted Total Medals
Total medals reward depth across sports. Canada could climb high thanks to strengths in freestyle skiing, curling, and more:
| Rank | Country | Predicted Total Medals |
| 1 | Norway | 69 |
| 2 | Germany | 60 |
| 3 | Canada | 57 |
| 4 | USA | 50 |
| 5 | Netherlands | 45 |
| 6 | Sweden | 34 |
| 7 | Italy | 34 |
| 8 | France | 31 |
| 9 | Austria | 29 |
| 10 | Japan | 26 |
As the host nation, Italy is expected to get a home-crowd boost on familiar snow and ice.
What This Means for Your Brackets
The Winter Olympics are full of surprises. Think upsets in Sochi or PyeongChang. Use these insights as a starting point for your medal pools or predictions. Cross-reference with our 2026 Olympics Schedules to track medal events, and dive into the Hockey Schedule for 2026 for those pivotal matchups that could swing tallies for powerhouses like Canada and the USA.
We’ll keep updating with live results, challenges, and analysis right here on SportsBrackets.net.
