10 Most Popular Athletes of the 2026 Winter Olympics

From February 6 to 22 this year, the world will be watching the Winter Olympics. But is it always only about sport? An athlete’s public profile matters a lot: through social media, they promote not just their discipline but also the values they stand for. For some fans, that visibility is even motivating enough to try a winter sport themselves.

Here are the ten most popular athletes of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Scotty James—Snowboarding (553K followers)

Scotty James is one of Australia’s most successful sports celebrities. He already won Olympic bronze and silver medals, and many are hopeful for gold this year. Known for his chill attitude, Scotty loves sharing travel stories and competition highlights on social media, making him relatable and quite popular. He also runs clinics for kids, inspiring them to believe in themselves and view setbacks as valuable lessons on their journey to success.