As the world turns its eyes to Milan-Cortina for the 2026 Winter Olympics, the LGBTQ+ community has a special reason to celebrate. A record-shattering 41 out and proud athletes will be competing for gold, nearly quadrupling the number from just eight years ago. This isn't just a statistic; it's a powerful statement of visibility and acceptance on one of the world's biggest stages.
While we'll miss seeing Dutch legends like Ireen Wüst on the ice, this year's Games offer a fantastic opportunity to cheer on a new wave of international queer icons. From intense on-ice rivalries between fiancées to historic firsts in figure skating, here are the stories and stars you won't want to miss.
Love & Rivalry: The Olympic Power Couples
The Olympics are always full of drama, but this year some of the most compelling stories involve athletes whose partners are right there with them—sometimes on the same team, and sometimes competing for a rival nation.
- Marie-Philip Poulin & Laura Stacey (Canada, Ice Hockey): The undisputed power couple of women's hockey. Teammates for both Team Canada and the Montreal Victoire, this married duo aims to defend their Olympic gold together.
- Kim Meylemans (Belgium) & Nicole Silveira (Brazil): This couple will be competing against each other in the high-speed sport of skeleton. Talk about a high-stakes relationship!
- Ronja Savolainen (Finland) & Anna Kjellbin (Sweden): Another cross-border hockey rivalry! These fiancées will face off when their national teams clash on the ice.
Making History and Chasing Gold
Beyond the couples, several individuals are poised to make history or are heavy favorites for a spot on the podium. Keep an eye on these trailblazers:
- Amber Glenn (USA, Figure Skating): Glenn is set to become the first out queer woman to compete in Olympic singles figure skating for Team USA. As a three-time national champion, she's a serious contender.
- Bruce Mouat (UK, Curling): A world champion and silver medalist from 2022, Mouat is a dominant force in curling and is widely expected to lead his team to the top of the podium.
- Lewis Gibson (UK, Ice Dancing): Alongside partner Lilah Fear, this Scottish ice dancer is a European medalist and a strong favorite to win a medal in Milan.
- Gus Kenworthy (UK, Freestyle Skiing): The action sports icon is coming out of retirement for one last Olympic run. Known for his iconic televised kiss in 2018, Kenworthy's return is one of the most anticipated stories of the Games.
The Full Rainbow Roster: Athletes by Country
Here is the complete list of the 41 incredible out athletes competing in Milan-Cortina 2026.
Team USA
- Hilary Knight: Ice Hockey (Her 5th Olympics!)
- Alex Carpenter: Ice Hockey
- Cayla Barnes: Ice Hockey
- Conor McDermott-Mostowy: Speed Skating
- Brittany Bowe: Speed Skating
- Amber Glenn: Figure Skating
- Breezy Johnson: Alpine Skiing
- Maddy Schaffrick: Snowboarding
Team Canada
- Marie-Philip Poulin: Ice Hockey
- Laura Stacey: Ice Hockey
- Emerance Maschmeyer: Ice Hockey
- Emily Clark: Ice Hockey
- Erin Ambrose: Ice Hockey
- Micah Zandee-Hart: Ice Hockey
- Brianne Jenner: Ice Hockey
- Shilo Rousseau: Biathlon
- Paul Poirier: Figure Skating
Team Great Britain
- Lewis Gibson: Ice Dancing
- Gus Kenworthy: Freestyle Skiing
- Bruce Mouat: Curling
- Makayla Gerken Schofield: Freestyle Skiing
Team Finland
- Ronja Savolainen: Ice Hockey
- Sanni Ahola: Ice Hockey
- Michelle Karvinen: Ice Hockey
- Anii Keisala: Ice Hockey
- Ida Kuoppala: Ice Hockey
- Viivi Vainikka: Ice Hockey
Team Sweden
- Anna Kjellbin: Ice Hockey
- Sandra Naeslund: Freestyle Skiing
And More Stars from Around the World...
- Nicole Silveira (Brazil): Skeleton
- Kim Meylemans (Belgium): Skeleton
- Laura Wolf (Austria): Freestyle Skiing
- Aneta Lédlová (Czech Republic): Ice Hockey
- Krystina Kaltounkova (Czech Republic): Ice Hockey
- Martina Sablikova (Czech Republic): Speed Skating
- Guillaume Cizeron (France): Figure Skating
- Chloe Aurard-Bushee (France): Ice Hockey
- Lore Baudrit (France): Ice Hockey
- Nina Jobst-Smith (Germany): Ice Hockey
- Filippo Ambrosini (Italy): Figure Skating
- Laura Zimmermann (Switzerland): Ice Hockey
