Who are the kings and queens of Instagram at the 2026 Olympic Games? Forget classic sports analysis, this year in Milan and Cortina, it's all about likes, trendy "reels" and perfectly groomed profiles that exude prestige.
If you thought the Olympics were just a matter of hundredths of a second and perfect turns, you're stuck in the last century. Welcome to 2026, where the lighting in the finish arena is checked first for selfies, and only then the scoreboard with the results. Winter Olympics in Italy have become the ultimate catwalk on snow, where some athletes compete not just for gold, but for digital dominance.
To make it to this exclusive list, “ordinary” talent is not enough – you need charisma that surpasses the million-follower mark. From the speed skaters who grace the covers Vogue, to hockey gods pushing the boundaries of men's fashion - we've compiled a list of ten athletes who rule Instagram even more sovereignly than they do on the ice.
1. Jutta Leerdam (Speed Skating, Netherlands) – 5.5 million followers
The Dutch skating goddess is the absolute queen of this list. With over 5 million followers and an engagement to American star Jake Paul, Jutta doesn't just sell speed on Instagram, she also sells a lifestyle that would make even the Kardashian sisters jealous. Her posts are the perfect mix of brutal training sessions in tight jerseys and glamorous red carpets. If Instagram had a discipline called "curve daring," Jutta would have won gold before the opening.
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2. Lindsey Vonn (Alpine Skiing, USA) – 3.2 million followers
The return of the written off? More like the return of a queen. At 41, Lindsey Vonn decided that her knees were healed enough after a miraculous surgery for another Olympic dance in Cortina. Her 3.2 million followers follow her every workout in the gym, every new fashion collaboration and, of course, her personal drama. Lindsey is proof that a brand never dies, especially when you have the status of a legend and a face adored by all the world's magazines.
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3. Eileen Gu (Freestyle Skiing, China) – 2.2 million followers
Eileen is probably the only person in the world who can win gold in slopestyle in the morning and open a fashion show for Louis Vuitton or Prado in Milan in the afternoon. With a huge fan base and 2.2 million followers on Instagram, Gu Ailing is a marketing phenomenon. She studies at Stanford, speaks fluent Chinese and English, and solves quantum physics equations in her free time. Ironic? No, only Eileen, who has no competition in the “perfection” category in 2026.
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4. Mikaela Shiffrin (Alpine skiing, USA) – 1.5 million followers
Mikaela may be the queen of the white slopes with a record number of victories, but she remains surprisingly down-to-earth on Instagram (1.5 million followers). Her profile is full of piano intros, a love of coffee and snaps with her sweetheart. Alexander Aamodt KildeShiffrin is the “friend” we all want to have – a skiing genius who isn’t shy about showing her vulnerable moments.
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5. Chloe Kim (Snowboarding, USA) – 1.0 million followers
The two-time Olympic halfpipe champion is the cool girl everyone copies. With her colorful hair and laid-back attitude to life, she has amassed 1 million followers on social media. When she’s not performing crazy tricks in the air, she’s posting pictures of her food or fashion collaborations that always sell out. Chloe is the face of Gen Z, who knows that style in the air is just as important as the landing.
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6. Connor McDavid (Ice Hockey, Canada) – 1.4 million followers
The best hockey player in the world is finally on the Olympic ice! Connor may not be your typical influencer posting makeup tutorials, but in the world of hockey, he is a deity with over a million followers. His arrival in Milan has raised the temperature for all NHL fans. McDavid is the silent influencer - his power is not in words, but in the footage of incredible speed that he shares with his fans.
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7. Auston Matthews (Ice Hockey, USA) – 1.0 million followers
If McDavid represents speed, Matthews represents style. The Toronto star and one of the best-dressed athletes in the world has a million followers on Instagram who admire his bold fashion choices. In Milan, the capital of fashion, Auston will feel at home – not only on the ice, but also in the front rows of fashion shows.
8. Shaun White (Snowboarding, USA – as a mentor/icon) – 2.4 million followers
Although Shaun will no longer be actively competing in 2026, his presence in Milan is indispensable. As a mentor and the face of the sports industry with 2.2 million followers, he dictates trends from behind the scenes. His Instagram is an archive of extreme sports and high lifestyle that everyone still follows faithfully. Without Shaun, the Winter Games simply don't have the right "vibe".
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9. Marcus Kleveland (Snowboarding, Norway) – 900k followers
The Norwegian surfing prodigy is the king of creativity. His nearly one million followers wait every day for a new trick that no one else can replicate. Marcus doesn't just cover the sport, he covers the culture of surfing - music, fashion and relaxation. He is the definition of Norwegian "cool" and has no competition in Milan 2026 when it comes to content creation.
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10. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo (Cross-country skiing, Norway) – 500k followers
Who says cross-country skiing is boring? With his YouTube channel and Instagram (700k+ followers), Klæbo has made the sport sexy. The Norwegian star is a master of visual aesthetics, and his photos from the sunny Norwegian fjords could be in any travel catalog. He's fast, he's rich, and he looks like he just stepped out of a campaign for a prestigious watch.
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