Delegation of 51 people represents Bulgaria at the Olympic Games

Starting today until February 22, the Alps are becoming the sporting heart of the planet. The 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics bring together the best winter athletes in the world and Bulgaria is participating with a team that combines experience, talent and hopes for new successes. The country is entering the Olympic stage with a 51-member delegation that will represent Bulgaria in six winter sports. The delegation includes 20 competitors, as well as their coaches, managers, medical and technical specialists. The Bulgarian athletes will compete in biathlon, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, snowboarding and figure skating - disciplines in which the country has traditions, established names and new stars.

Bulgaria sends its strongest team in recent decades to the Winter Olympics

The Olympic path of the Bulgarian team will begin with strong symbolism. The only Bulgarian competitor in figure skating Alexandra Feigin will be the flag bearer at the opening ceremony in Milan, while in Cortina d’Ampezzo the Bulgarian flag will be carried by biathlete Vladimir Iliev – one of our most experienced competitors in winter sports.

Biathletes are most numerous in Bulgaria's Winter Olympics team

In addition to the two main opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games, there will also be ceremonies in the other two mountain locations – Livigno and Predazzo, where the Bulgarian snowboarding and cross-country skiing teams are located. Snowboarders Radoslav Yankov (for whom these will probably be the last Olympic starts in his career) and Tervel Zamfirov recorded a video message in support of keeping the parallel giant slalom in the Olympic program – a decision that is expected to be made after the end of the Olympics, BNT has reported. 16-year-old Malena Zamfirova is among the 20 athletes nominated for the Piotr Nurowski Prize, who will participate in Milano-Cortina. She is winner of the vote of the national Olympic committees in Europe.

Bulgarian hopes in alpine snowboarding at the Olympics in Italy

The Bulgarian Olympic delegation will stand out on the slopes with bright outfits, in which red dominates. However, its design includes all three colours of the national flag – white, green and red. The outfits were created especially for the Bulgarian team by the Italian company VIST and combine sports functionality and national identity.

The preparation and composition of the Bulgarian Olympic team are presented in a special 48-page guide published by the Bulgarian Olympic Committee. It includes biographies of all competitors and information about the coaching staff. Its pages also present Bulgaria's Olympic history at winter games, which dates back to 1936, while the entire program of the XXV Winter Olympic Games in Italy is published in the form of a QR code.

"Never forget the Olympic principles. Compete with honesty and integrity, be an example in everything you do - both on and off the field. I am sure that Milan-Cortina 2026 will remain one of the most precious memories not only in your sports career, but also in your life. Give your best, never stop fighting and continue to dream of great things!", said the President of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee, Vessela Lecheva, in her address to the athletes.

The President of Bulgaria, Iliana Iotova, will also support the Bulgarian athletes and attend the official opening of the international Olympic forum.

With its participation in Milan-Cortina 2026, Bulgaria enters another Olympic challenge with the ambition to consolidate its place among the active and recognizable participants in winter sports.

See also:
Bulgarian skiers at 2026 Olympics – no excessive ambitions, huge determination

Compiled by: Elena Karkalanova