Snoop Dogg: Rapper named honorary Team USA coach for 2026 Winter Olympics

Snoop Dogg has been appointed Team USA's first-ever honorary coach for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games at Milano Cortina.

The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) announced that "Coach Snoop" would join staff on the "team behind the team" tasked with supporting athletes in Italy.

It comes after the rapper and entrepreneur hit the headlines as Paris 2024 as Team USA's hype-man and subsequent performance during the LA 2028 handover ceremony.

"Team USA athletes are the real stars - I'm just here to cheer, uplift and maybe drop a little wisdom from the sidelines," the 54-year-old said.

"This team represents the best of what sport can be: talent, heart and hustle. If I can bring a little more love and motivation to that, that's a win for me."

He continued: "From the moment I rolled into Paris, I was instantly welcomed into the USOPC family.

"I felt the energy, the pride and the love of sport that makes this team special. The way the staff lifts up the athletes... the way the athletes inspire the world... it had me hooked from day one."

Snoop Dogg's honorary role is a continuation of his championing of grassroots sport through projects such as the Snoop Youth Football League, which has supported 15,000 upcoming athletes with and without disabilities.

USOPC chief executive Sarah Hirshland added: "From the moment Snoop met Team USA athletes, there was an instant connection - mutual respect, genuine curiosity and a lot of laughter.

"His enthusiasm for the Olympic and Paralympic Movement is contagious, and we're thrilled to officially welcome him as a member of the Team Behind the Team."