Lindsey Vonn Returns to Olympics, Giving Boost to NBC

Lindsey Vonn, the winningest downhill skier in the sport’s history, has officially qualified for the 2026 Winter Olympics at the age of 41, providing a major lift for NBC.

The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team said early Tuesday that Vonn, a three-time Olympic medalist including a gold in 2010, will be part of the American team at the upcoming Milan-Cortina Games. Vonn is in the midst of a remarkable comeback from a five-year retirement, as well as a series of prior injuries—all defying a variety of odds in a sport that typically favors younger athletes. 

In the current World Cup season, Vonn has finished on the podium in four of five races, won one, and placed no worse than fourth—all building significantly on encouraging results last season in which she was the second-best American female speed skier. 

This will be Vonn’s fifth Olympics appearance, and she will be on the U.S. team with Mikaela Shiffrin, the current World Cup women’s skiing leader and another superstar of the sport. 

“I am honored to be able to represent my country one more time, in my fifth and final Olympics!,” Vonn said in an Instagram post. “I always had one eye on Cortina because it’s a place that is very, very special to me. Although I can’t guarantee any outcomes, I can guarantee that I will give my absolute best every time I kick out of the starting gate. No matter how these Games end up, I feel like I’ve already won.”

Broadcast Considerations

The presence of Vonn is another dose of good news for NBC, the U.S. media rights holder for the Olympics. The network already has been preparing for a large-scale viewership boost, due in part to resurgence of the Olympic movement coming out of the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, as well as a more favorable time zone difference in 2026 for U.S. viewers compared to prior Winter Olympics held in Asia. 

The upcoming Winter Olympics also will be part of a historic February 2026 for the network, set to show Super Bowl LX and the NBA All-Star Game. 

Vonn, however, is a major superstar, and someone who can help bring in casual viewers. 

“I look forward to saying her name a lot more times in the coming months, right?,” NBC anchor Peter Alexander said Tuesday morning on Today.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard, not surprisingly, conveyed a similar sentiment.

“Lindsey qualifying for the 2026 Olympic team is a testament to her resilience and dedication, and the remarkable results she’s delivered on the World Cup this season,” said the organization’s president and CEO, Sophie Goldschmidt. “She’s proven once again that elite performance isn’t just about past success, it’s about rising to the moment, race after race. We’re thrilled to cheer her on at the Olympics.”