The 2026 Winter Olympics are officially underway, marking one of the most high-stakes advertising moments of the year, and notably sharing the spotlight with football’s biggest night, Super Bowl LIX. As Team USA athletes compete on the global stage, brands are already showing up in force—putting real ad dollars behind the Games’ biggest, most watched moments.
From long-standing Olympic partners to newer challengers looking to break through the noise, the Winter Games are quickly proving to be a defining media moment for 2026. And with audiences tuning in across more platforms than ever, how brands show up is proving just as important as where they show up.
The Brands Backing Team USA
So who’s putting their brand behind Team USA this Winter Olympics? Here’s a look at the sponsors activating around the Games—along with where we’re already seeing their ads appear.
🏅Delta - Official Airline of Team USA
Activation Strategy: Delta is telling a journey story—connecting travel, preparation, and the road to the Olympic stage.
🏅Starbucks — Official Coffee Partner of Team USA
Activation Strategy: Starbucks is leaning into emotional storytelling—connecting early mornings, dedication, and the routines that fuel Olympic athletes.
Activation Strategy: Michelob ULTRA is positioning itself at the intersection of celebration and performance—showing up both during live events and in post-competition viewing moments.
Xfinity is leaning into one of the biggest Olympic realities of 2026: how people watch matters just as much as what they watch. They’re positioning themselves as the gateway to the Games, featuring celebrity spokesmen - a strategy we don’t see going away any time soon.
Bank of America continues its long-term narrative around opportunity, access, and athlete development—using Team USA as a symbol of what’s possible when young talent is supported early.
While GLP-1 advertising continues to dominate TV and CTV spend, Eli Lilly is using the Olympic moment to step back from product-first messaging and lean into brand-building instead.
Unlike past Olympic cycles, fans aren’t tuning in one single way anymore—and that’s creating both massive opportunity and complexity for advertisers.
Viewers are watching the 2026 Winter Olympics across:
For brands, this fragmented viewing behavior means:
The brands winning this Olympics won’t just be present—they’ll be intentional about how their media mix works together.
The opening ceremonies may be just the start, but Olympic advertising momentum builds fast. We’ll continue to share ongoing coverage throughout the Olympic weeks—breaking down the ads running across platforms, where brands are investing, and how spend is shifting in real time.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Gray Wheatley
Gray Wheatley is the Product Manager for Sports at MediaRadar, where he focuses on building products that connect and contextualize sports-related marketing intelligence. With over 15 years of experience across the sports industry, he helps rights holders, brands, and agencies use data to optimize performance and maximize asset value.