Bobsleigh: How to qualify for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026

The thrilling rush of bobsleigh is not for the faint of heart. Nevertheless, 170 athletes will brave the icy curves of the Cortina Sliding Centre and challenge for medals at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

Clambering into futuristic-looking sleds, these speed merchants by trade will search for gold in four events at Milano Cortina 2026: women’s monobob, 2-man, 2-woman and 4-man.

They’ll require a potent concoction of raw athletic power, delicate driving and unwavering nerves to reach top speed and slide towards history in one of the world’s fastest non-motorized sports.

Rising stars like Emils Cipulis and Melanie Hasler will hope to challenge the dominance of Francesco Friedrich and Kaillie Humphries, while the dominant duo will attempt to build on their already impressive resumes, placing them firmly alongside legends like Andre Lange, Eugenio Monti and Jill Bakken.

Of course, any athlete hoping to chase their dreams of an Olympic medal must first qualify for Milano Cortina 2026.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about the Olympic qualification system in bobsleigh, including the number of athletes in each event and the qualification timeline.

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How to qualify for the bobsleigh competition at Milano Cortina 2026

Any athlete looking to follow in the icy tracks of Olympic champions Lamberto Dalla Costa and Franz Kapus, who both slid to gold at the Olympic Winter Games Cortina d’Ampezzo 1956, will need to earn a quota for their respective NOCs through the Men’s Bobsleigh IBSF Combined Ranking List, Women’s Bobsleigh IBSF Combined Ranking List or Women’s Monobob IBSF Ranking List.

For more details about the quotas and how to qualify for Milano Cortina 2026, please check the official documents here.

What are the key dates for bobsleigh qualification for Milano Cortina 2026?

• 1 October 2024: Beginning of the qualification period
• 18 January 2026 (23:59 Lausanne time): End of the qualification period and publication of IBSF ranking lists
• 19 January 2026: IBSF will inform NOCs and National Federations of their allocated quota places
• 21 January 2026 (23:59 Lausanne time): Deadline for NOCs to confirm the use of allocated quota places. Deadline for NOCs that want to be considered for any reallocated places to inform IBSF of their request
• 22-25 January 2026 (23:59 Lausanne time): IBSF to reallocate any unused quotas
• 26 January 2026: Milano Cortina 2026 Sport Entries deadline

How many athletes will compete in bobsleigh at Milano Cortina 2026?

A total of 170 athletes (114 men and 56 women) will take part in bobsleigh competitions at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

The maximum number of athlete quotas per NOC is 18 (12 men and 6 women), with a maximum of three sleds per NOC per event.

Milano Cortina 2026 bobsleigh competition format and schedule

The bobsleigh competition at Milano Cortina 2026 will include four events:

• Women's monobob
• 2-man bobsleigh
• 2-woman bobsleigh
• 4-man bobsleigh

The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will take place from 6 to 22 February 2026.

Olympic champions in bobsleigh from the last Olympic Winter Games

Women's monobob

• 🥇 Gold: Kaillie Humphries (USA)
• 🥈 Silver: Elana Meyers Taylor (USA)
• 🥉 Bronze: Christine De Bruin (CAN)

2-man bobsleigh

• 🥇 Gold: Francesco Friedrich / Thorsten Margis (GER)
• 🥈 Silver: Johannes Lochner / Florian Bauer (GER)
• 🥉 Bronze: Christoph Hafer / Matthias Sommer (GER)

2-woman bobsleigh

• 🥇 Gold: Laura Nolte / Deborah Levi (GER)
• 🥈 Silver: Mariama Jamanka / Alexandra Burghardt (GER)
• 🥉 Bronze: Elana Meyers Taylor / Sylvia Hoffman (USA)

4-man bobsleigh

• 🥇 Gold: Francesco Friedrich / Thorsten Margis / Alexander Schueller / Candy Bauer (GER)
• 🥈 Silver: Johannes Lochner / Florian Bauer / Christopher Weber / Christian Rasp (GER)
• 🥉 Bronze: Justin Kripps / Cameron Stones / Ryan Sommer / Ben Coakwell (CAN)

As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Milano Cortina Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Milano Cortina 2026