The 2026 Winter Olympic Games have begun in the Italian cities of Milano and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

From 6-22 February, over 3,500 athletes from 93 countries will compete for Olympic gold in skiing, figure skating or ice hockey, among many other sports.

Furthermore, organisers estimate that more than 2 million spectators will travel to northern Italy to attend the Milano-Cortina Games.

For Christian organisation Open Doors, “at their best, the Games are a time for people from countries across the world to put aside differences and compete in a peaceful way, a reminder that all people share common humanity”.

“For Christians, this can be extended, the Olympics can be a visible reminder that every human being is made in God’s image”, they add.

That is why the organisation encourages Christians worldwide to “take that one step farther and use the Olympics in a potentially surprising way: to pray”.

192 athletes from countries that persecute Christians

Open Doors has launched a campaign to pray for the 14 countries participating in the Milano Cortina Games that are also on the 2026 World Watch List of the 50 places where it is most dangerous to be a Christian.

The 14 countries are: Eritrea (5), Nigeria (7), Pakistan (8), Iran (10), India (12), Saudi Arabia (13), China (17), Morocco (23), Uzbekistan (25), Mexico (30), Kyrgyzstan(40), Türkiye (41), Kazakhstan (45), and Colombia (47).

Are you tuning into the Winter Olympics?

If so, did you know that 14 of the competing nations are on the #WorldWatchList, with four in the top ten? That makes it a wonderful opportunity to pray for our persecuted family.

The countries are Eritrea (#5), Nigeria (#7), Pakistan… pic.twitter.com/IeCgfanug2— Open Doors UK (@OpenDoorsUK) February 5, 2026

They explain how many athletes each country has sent to the Games, and which sports they compete in. 

In total, 192 athletes from these countries are competin in Milano-Cortina.

The country with the most athletes is China, with 125; followed by Kazakhstan (36), Turkey (8), Mexico (5), and Iran (4). The rest of the countries only have one or two Olympic participants.

Most of them will compete in different skiing disciplines, while other sports featuring athletes from these countries include speed skating and figure skating.

“Watch and pray”

Open Doors also describes the situation of Christians in each of the fourteen countries, the risks they face, and their needs. It also includes a short prayer for each country.

“As you watch the events where the athletes will be competing, take a moment to think about the situation of your brothers and sisters in that country and pray for it”, the groups writes.

Prayer topics range from “the extreme surveillance, violent police raids and indefinite imprisonment” suffered by Christians in Eritrea, the most dangerous country among those participating in the Games; to the ongoing violence perpetrated by terrorist groups against Christians in Nigeria; and the everyday discrimination and threats of deadly violence and blasphemy accusations faced by Pakistani Christians.