The greatest Scandinavian moments of the 2026 Winter Olympics so far

Against a global backdrop, the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina arrive as a much-needed unifying spectacle. Whether viewed from the comfort of a sofa, amid the trackside atmosphere, or caught in passing on a screen, attention is fixed on the sporting history unfolding – and it is the Nordic nations injecting much of the excitement, setting scoreboards and medal podiums ablaze.

From Sweden claiming the Games’ first gold and silver medals to Norway’s early dominance on the charts, thrilling moments have already begun to stack up. But this is only the opening act: more medals await, alongside celebrity sightings and style moments primed to ripple far beyond the slopes.

Below, stay up to date with the unfolding Scandinavian highlights of the Winter Olympics 2026.

Norway topped the medal table at the 2026 Winter Olympics, finishing with a commanding 41 medals, including 18 golds. Once in the lead, the nation never relinquished first place. Five of those gold medals were won by Johannes Klæbo, who became the most decorated winter Olympian in history, further cementing his status as one of the sport’s all-time greats.

Sweden closed out the 2026 Winter Olympics in emphatic fashion, adding two final gold medals to finish with eight golds and 18 medals overall. The final day of the games began with a nail-biting victory for Sweden’s women’s curling team, who edged Switzerland 6–5. The Games then closed with cross-country skier Ebba Andersson, who dominated the women’s 50km mass start to secure Sweden’s last gold medal.

The final day of competition drew a notable royal presence. Crown Princess Victoria was in attendance as Ebba Andersson claimed Sweden’s last gold, joined by Prince Daniel and their children, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar. The family wore Uniqlo’s Team Sweden uniforms and waved Swedish flags from the stands, marking a visible show of national support.

After an eight year Olympic medal hiatus, alpine star Mikaela Shiffrin – the fiancée of Norway's Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, as formally featured in Vogue Scandinavia – has claimed gold in the women's slalom. The moment was filed with sentimentality, as Shiffrin dedicated the win to her late father, and Kilde (who withdrew from this year's Games due to injury and performance issues) shared a heartfelt post about her 'mental strength'. Sweeter still was Kilde interviewing Shiffrin, in reporter mode with microphone in hand, after the race. Shiffrin is a force for the history books for sure, but we also put the win down to her restorative downtime at Kilde's fjord hytte retreat.

Tormod Frostad saved his boldest statement for the final seconds of the men’s freeski big air final at Milano Cortina 2026. Under the lights in Livigno, the Norwegian delivered a staggering 98.50 on his last jump to clinch Olympic gold with 195.50 overall. It was a high-wire showdown. USA’s Mac Forehand had just surged into the lead with a near-perfect 98.25, appearing to have done enough. Frostad answered immediately. Austria’s Matej Svancer rounded out the podium with 191.25.

For Frostad, it is a first Olympic medal and back-to-back big air gold for Norway, secured at the last possible moment.

Day nine of the Winter Olympics delivered a truly moving moment for the Nordic nations as Sweden's Sara Hector and Norway's The Louise St Jernesund shared the silver medal in the Women's Giant Slalom. Both athletes finished the demanding course with an identical time of 2:14:12. In a beautiful display of sportsmanship, the two women stood side-by-side on the podium, holding their respective flags high.

Finland has set a new Olympic record with an astounding 62 shots on goal in the nation's ice hockey qualifier against Italy, the most ever tallied in a single Olympic game. The Finns took control early, scoring three times in four minutes in the opening period, never easing their pressure until reaching the 11–0 victory.

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo is now the all-time gold-medal leader in Winter Olympics history. With gold in the men’s cross-country event at Milano Cortina 2026 – his fourth of these Games – the Norwegian has brought his total to nine Olympic gold medals, more than any other athlete before him. The 29-year-old had matched fellow Norwegians Bjørn Dæhlie, Marit Bjørgen and Ole Einar Bjørndalen when he claimed his eighth gold on Friday (13 February) in the men’s 10km interval start free. That milestone followed three golds in PyeongChang 2018 and two in Beijing 2022. Now, with nine, he's made history.

In Milano, ahead of Sweden's ice hockey match with Italy, Prince Daniel arrived to personally encourage and congratulate the nation's athletes. The royal, recognisable in the bright yellow Uniqlo puffer designed for the Swedish team, was seen shaking hands with medal winners, including Isabella Wranå, who had already secured gold in the mixed doubles curling.

On the sixth day of the Winter Olympics, the partners of Swedish athletes delivered a joyful show of solidarity in the stands. Erin Alvey, Irma Helin Zibanejad and Katelyn Pettersson arrived in matching jackets, proudly wearing the nation’s colours as they rallied behind their husbands in the ice hockey clash with Italy. The deep blue jackets, accented with a yellow tartan-esque check and personalised with their names across the back, made a twee yet unified statement of allegiance.

It’s day six of the Winter Olympics, and Norway is holding fast and steady in its position as frontrunner. With a medal tally of 13, yesterday saw their gold haul bump up to seven, as Jens Luraas Oftebro won the Nordic combined individual gundersen normal hill 10km. The 25-year-old was not the only Nordic on the podium, however, as Finn Eero Hirvonen took third place.

Finns can breath a sigh of relief, for the country has finally secured its first medal of the 2026 Winter Olympics. On the fifth day of the spectacle, Eero Hirvonen claimed bronze in the men's Nordic Combined Individual Gundersen Normal Hill/10km, sparking raucous celebrations across Team Finland. The winner was also a fellow Scandi, with Norwegian Jens Lurås Oftebrø taking gold.

As Sweden swept the cross-country sprint podium, the victorious scene unfolded under royal watch. King Gustav III was spotted slopeside in Cortina, following the action closely as his country claimed the three more medals. At one point, the monarch waved a Swedish flag while sporting the nation’s Uniqlo-designed team uniform – a visible show of steadfast support.

On day six of the Winter Olympics, the Nordic aptitude for snow sports continues to shine through. Norway’s medal tally comes to 12, with another gold added to the collection, thanks to Johan-Olav Botn’s win in the men’s 20km individual biathlon. Sweden sits in second place in the games - tied with Germany - the newest medal being gold in mixed doubles curling.

Norway's medal momentum surged on day five, as the nation's tally leapt nine, two of which were gold. Cross-country skiing phenom Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo secured yet another gold in the men's classic sprint, while Birk Ruud dominated the men’s freeski slopestyle.

At the women’s classic cross-country sprint on Day five of the Winter Games, Sweden claimed all three podium places. Gold went to 26-year-old Linn Svahn, followed by Jonna Sundling and Maja Dahlqvist, both 31, with all three finishing just over the four-hour mark.

Milla Ruud Reitan and Nikolj Majorov, 20 and 25 years old respectively, secured Sweden's spot in the figure skating rhythm dance finals – marking the country's first time competing in the event. The long-time couple sped into medal contention with an energetic routine set to a Ricky Martin medley. The most endearing moment, however, was the tender kiss they shared upon finishing their routine.

Former Vogue Scandinavia cover stars Janni Delér and Nina Sandbech brought their sartorial flair to the slopes of Cortina. Dressed in Goldbergh skiwear, the duo took prime position slopeside to watch the women’s downhill skiing official training, accompanied by Janni’s sister and fellow influencer Michaela Delér.

With their nation currently dominating the leaderboard, King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway arrived in Milano to lend their regal support. Donning the team's uniform, courtesy of Dale of Norway, the monarchs took their place in the front row to observe the women's speed skating competition.

3 days into the Winter Olympics, and Norway is showing that the Nordics know how it's done when it comes to snow sports. The only country to score three gold medals so far (in men's cross-country skiing, women’s ski jumping and men's speed skating), they have also scooped up one silver medal and two bronze.

Sweden started strong by claiming the top two spots in the women's cross-country skiing event, with Frida Karlsson earning the gold medal and her teammate Ebba Andersson securing the silver. This made Sweden the first country to win medals in this competition.

Iceland stole the hearts of social media viewers everywhere, with its four athletes mustering more energy than seen from other countries. Jón Erik Sigurðsson, Elín Elmarsdóttir Van Pelt, Dagur Benediktsson and Kristrún Guðnadóttir flew their nation's flag high and wide, their patriotism capturing admiration globally.

For 63 days, across 1,200 kilometers, 1001 individuals have served as custodians of the Olympic torch through Italy (including Heated Rivalry stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie). Now, as the flame sweeps into Milan as the Games draw ever nearer, the honour has been bestowed upon the formidable Swedish football legend, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Related: 2026 Winter Olympics: Everything you need to know

Though the former player's turn was brief (just a few momentous minutes), the impact was immense, as Ibrahimovic took the opportunity to send a powerful message of support to the Swedish athletes preparing to compete in the Games. As other torch bearers, he wore a custom white tracksuit, crafted sustainably in collaboration with Salomon. Ibrahimovic completed the look with his signature bun and a smile.

The Olympic torch will complete its Milan journey today before igniting the Olympic flame at San Siro stadium this evening, marking the start of the Games with performances by global icons such as Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli.