how much athletes get for winning medals
Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics – Preview – Livigno, Italy – February 2, 2026 General view of the Olympic rings ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
Marko Djurica | Reuters
For athletes at the ongoing 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, finishing on the podium could mean more than victory and medals. In some countries, it also comes with watches and six-figure payments.
Nearly 2,900 athletes from more than 90 national Olympic committees are competing in 116 medal events across eight sports at the Winter Games.
While the International Olympic Committee does not award prize money, many governments and national Olympic bodies offer cash bonuses.
According to the information compiled by CNBC from national Olympic committees, sports associations and local reports, the situation of some countries is as follows:
singapore summitS. Payout rankings for the 2026 Winter Games.
The Southeast Asian nation is offering about $792,000 for an individual gold medal, $395,000 for silver and $197,000 for bronze, making it the most generous gold medal payout among the countries studied.
Singapore has competed only once at the 2018 Winter Games, where short-track speed skater Cheyenne Goh placed 28th in the women’s 1,500 metres.
The country is again represented by a single athlete in Italy: alpine skier Faiz Basha, who could not finish the first run of the giant slalom at the Stelvio Ski Resort in Bormio, ending his campaign in a field of 81 athletes.
Hong Kong, which sends alpine skiers and short-track speed skaters to compete in Italy, is offering about $768,000 for gold, $384,000 for silver and $192,000 for bronze. The city has yet to win a medal at the Winter Olympics.
In Europe, Poland stands out not only for its scale but also for the diversity of its awards. Individual gold medalists can receive approximately $211,000. The package also includes a Toyota Corolla passenger car, a fully completed two-room apartment, a painting, a holiday voucher and jewellery.
Paintings and jewelry are also among the benefits offered to silver and bronze medalists, with monetary awards of approximately $169,000 and $124,000, respectively.
The host country, Italy, is offering about $214,000 for gold, $107,000 for silver and $71,000 for bronze.
South Korea offers bounties of about $208,000 for gold, about $139,000 for silver and $70,000 for bronze.
In some cases, rewards go beyond standard medal bonuses. South Korean state media reported that snowboarder Choi Ga-on received 300 million won from the sports association after winning the gold medal, while private companies offered additional gifts, including a luxury watch from Swiss brand Omega.
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee will award $37,500 for gold, $22,500 for silver and $15,000 for bronze.
For some it’s just victory
However, not every winter sports center pays out prize money directly.
Norway, which has the most medals in the history of the Winter Games, does not give cash bonuses to those who finish on the podium. Instead, athletes who continue to compete may be eligible to receive financial support from the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee. The scholarship is worth approximately 160,000 Norwegian kroner ($16,831) per year and includes access to vocational training and medical services.
Some countries do not have a publicly announced medal bonus plan. The UK does not give cash bonuses for Olympic medals; This means Team GB athletes will not receive additional payments for podium finishes in 2026. Instead, financial support is provided through UK Sport, which uses National Lottery funding to support training, coaching and athlete development.
China also does not publish a standardized national payment structure for Winter Games medals; Awards are often determined at the state or sponsor level.
An Olympic medal represents years of sacrifice and training. In a high-stakes competition decided in seconds, a podium finish can also lead to a life-changing win.
