South Africa will compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, from 6 to 22 February 2026. If the country participates, it will be its first participation in the Winter Olympics since 2018.
Competitors
The following is the list of number of competitors participating at the Games per sport/discipline.
TEAM SA SQUAD FOR 2026 WINTER OLYMPICS
Men: Thomas Weir (slalom & giant slalom), Matthew Smith (cross-country)
Women: Lara Markthaler (slalom & giant slalom), Malica Malherbe (freestyle skiing), Nicole Burger (skeleton)
Coaches: Robert Weir (slalom & giant slalom), Christian Markthaler (slalom & giant slalom), Ole Ensrud (cross-country), Rhys Thornbury (skeleton)
Alpine skiing
South Africa qualified one female and one male alpine skier through the basic quota.[2][3]
Cross-country skiing
South Africa qualified one male cross-country skier through the basic quota.[4] 34-year-old Matt Smith qualified to represent the country in the sport.[5] Smith had only taken up the sport two years ago after moving from South Africa to Norway.[6] This will mark the country’s first participation in the sport in 16 years, after last competing at the 2010 Winter Olympics.[7]
Freestyle skiing
South Africa qualified a female athlete in moguls and dual moguls through the World Cup and 2025 World Championship event.[8]
Moguls
| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Final | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Run 1 | Run 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Run 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| Time | Points | Total | Rank | Time | Points | Total | Rank | Time | Points | Total | Rank | Time | Points | Total | Rank | Time | Points | Total | Rank | ||
| Malica Malherbe | Women’s moguls | ||||||||||||||||||||
Dual moguls
Skeleton
South Africa qualified a single female skeleton racer, securing one quota spot based on the IBSF Ranking List for the 2025–26 season.[9]