The United States has the most athletes competing in the Winter Olympics, but is not favored to win the gold medal race.

While the opening ceremonies for the Winter Olympics begin on Friday, the events actually got underway on Wednesday.

Athletes from around the world are arriving in Italy for the 2026 Winter Olympics, which begins on February 6.

The 2026 Winter Olympics are bringing thousands of athletes from around the world together for more than two weeks of competition — and the Games are a gold mine for statistics.

The target number of medals for a country to win the overall medal table is 35. Norway captured 37 medals to top the 2022 Winter Olympics medal table. That was 10 more than Germany in second place and 12 more than Team USA in third.

MILAN — Adrian Livelten hunched over a sewing machine last March on the eve of the men’s ski jumping competition at the Nordic World Ski Championships. The suit technician for Norway’s national ski jumping team brazenly made alterations to suits belonging to the country’s two top contenders after those suits had already passed inspection.

Most countries that have competed at the Winter Olympics have taken home medals in multiple sports over the years. There are also some that have emerged