The maximum team size is 16 athletes for each country, made up of eight men and eight women. However, the final team size depends on the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) quota. A maximum of four athletes per discipline in each gender are permitted to start each competition.

Teams for each country are selected based on FIS Cross-Country World Cup results as well as discretionary selection.

The first selection method designates the top-eight individual final World Cup finishers to the team; however, this method cannot exceed more than 75% of the total team quota. The second method is discretionary selection and cannot exceed 25% of the total team quota.

The Olympic cross-country skiing qualification period for the top-eight FIS Cross-Country World Cup finishers is based on performances in evaluative events during the 2025-26 season prior to Jan. 19, 2026.

Discretionary selections are based on performances in evaluative events from the 2025-26 season prior to Jan. 19, 2026 and FIS World Cup cross-country competitions from Nov. 29, 2024 to March 23, 2025.

There are 148 quota spots each for men and women, with a maximum of four individuals per country in each event. Nations only can submit one team in a team event. The number of athletes in each event will vary depending on qualification.

Olympic roster selection criteria states that up to 75% of the total team quota (men and women athletes combined) will be filled by individual eligible athletes that finish in the top eight of the FIS Cross-Country World Cup results.

Up to 25% of the total team quota is fulfilled by discretionary selection.

• Athletes who have a maximum of 150 distance FIS points are eligible for selection to compete in all distance and/or sprint events
• Athletes who have a maximum of 350 distance FIS points are eligible for selection to compete in the 10km events and team events
• Athletes who have a maximum of 350 sprint FIS points are eligible for selection to compete in the individual and team sprint events

Italy as the host nation for the Olympics is eligible to receive four quota places per gender as long as those athletes meet the FIS eligibility criteria.

In the event that the number individual eligible athletes that finish in the top eight of the FIS Cross-Country World Cup results exceeds the four sprint athletes per gender allowance a tie-breaker will be used.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard tie-breaker method:

A.) Best single individual Final World Cup Sprint finish in the selection period. 

B.) Next best single individual Final World Cup Sprint finish in the selection period.

C.) Third best single individual Final World Cup Sprint finish in the selection period.

D.) The athlete with the lowest Sprint FIS points on the current FIS point list as of Jan. 18, 2026. 

E.) The selection committee will nominate the athlete(s) using the discretionary criteria.

• Olympic roster selection criteria states that up to 75% of the total team quota (men and women athletes combined) will be filled by individual eligible athletes that finish in the top eight of the FIS Cross-Country World Cup results based on performances in evaluative events during the 2025-26 season prior to Jan. 19, 2026.
• Up to 25% of the total team quota is fulfilled by discretionary selection based on performances in evaluative events from the 2025-26 season prior to Jan. 19, 2026 and FIS World Cup cross-country competitions from Nov. 29, 2024 to March 23, 2025.
• The Olympic roster is expected to be announced on Jan. 20, 2026