Winter Olympics and Paralympics 2026 medal designs announced

Medals for Winter Olympics 2026: gold, silver and bronze, with blue ribbon — (Image credit: Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026)

The design for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics 2026 has been unveiled. Hosted by Milano and Cortina, Italy, the Winter Olympic games will be held from 6-22 February 2026, while the Winter Paralympics will be from 6-15 March.

Winter Olympics 2026: the medals

'With our medals, we celebrate the strength of differences: two unique halves joined through the Olympic and Paralympic symbols to create a strong and unified message,' says Raffaella Paniè, Brand, Identity and Look of the Games Director, Milano Cortina 2026.

The design for the Winter Olympics medals features a split surface, connected by the five interlocking rings of the Olympic logo. 'We wanted the design to reflect the idea that victory is never a solitary moment,’ continued Paniè, who led the multi-disciplinary design team behind the concept. 'It’s built through collective strength, support, and unity. This story lives in the surfaces of the medals, where two textures meet and begin a narrative shaped not only by the athletes, but by everyone who helped them get there.'

The medal design is also a nod to the host cities of Milano and Cortina, who for the first time in history share the Winter Olympics games.

Earlier this year, designs for the Olympic Torch by Carlo Ratti were unveiled, and the medals echo the Italian architect's concept of purity and minimalism, letting the Games and their athletes being the prot

'The Mint combines two fundamental and inseparable elements in the design: the artistic tradition of the School of Medal Art – where artists and engravers define and shape the medals – and the industrial reality of cutting-edge production,' concludes Matteo Taglienti, representing the Istituto Poligrafico and Zecca dello Stato, Italy's official institute for all coins, marks and seals. 'This makes each medal not just a technical achievement, but a truly unique object, rich with history and meaning.'

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Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.