Alex Ferreira and Alex Hall Qualify for 2026 Stifel U.S. Freeski Olympic Team

Featured Image: Courtesy of the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team

Alex Hall and Alex Ferreira have made history as the first two athletes officially named to the 2026 Stifel U.S. Freeski Team. Hall has qualified for both slopestyle and big air, with Ferreira qualifying in halfpipe. The announcement from the Freeski Team was made in tandem with the Freestyle Team, along with Jaelin Kauf and Quinn Dehlinger whom have qualified for moguls and aerials, respectively.

These athletes have prequalified for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics based on their ranking in the recently released 2026 FIS Base List, comprised of results from the 2024/25 competition season. To automatically qualify for the U.S. team, athletes have to rank as the top American among the top three skiers in their discipline.

This is just the first of four ways athletes will be qualified and named for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Click here to check out the official Freeski and Freestyle selection procedures document.

To say that Hall and Ferreira have shown dominance over the past few seasons would be an understatement. Hall won the Crystal Globe overall title on the FIS World Cup circuit in big air during winter 2023/24. He continued competing in big air this year, even qualifying for finals in several events, but his primary focus was slopestyle.

At the final 2024/25 FIS Freestyle World Cup in Tignes, France, Hall put on a clinic in the rail section, including a right 270 Tokyo drift to right switch lip, back 450 and swift left Tokyo drift 270 on, back 810. The win earned him the slopestyle Crystal Globe overall title, marking back-to-back Crystal Globe seasons in two separate disciplines.

“I’m super stoked to qualify for Milano Cortina a year early,” said Hall regarding today’s announcement. “I feel like I had a great season and ended up winning the slopestyle Crystal Globe, so it felt really good to lock in my spot that way. I’m looking forward to the Olympics in Italy… It will be amazing over there.” A Hall will surely be looking to defend his title after winning gold in slopestyle at the 2022 games

It’s worth noting that, in addition to competing on the FIS World Cup circuit this winter, Hall also competed in four different disciplines at X Games Aspen and continued to film with 2026 halfpipe Olympic nominee Hunter Hess for their latest MAGMA film. Talk about an absolute workhorse.

*Alex Hall competes in slopestyle finals at X Games Aspen 2025 | **Photo**: Matt Powers*

As for Ferreira, his last two seasons have been equally as impressive. It wouldn’t be far off to say Ferreira is on a generational halfpipe run. He won every contest he entered in the 2023/24 season, topping the 2025 Base List, and kept hitting his stride this season, landing on the podium at all seven competitions and taking the win at two.

“It means the world to be prequalified for the Olympics,” said Ferreira. “It’s a huge weight off my shoulders. Usually I’m coming in, skidding in, to the very last spot. So to be the first person on the team is really, really rewarding. I worked extremely hard for it, so I’m grateful to have a more tranquil incoming to the Games. Milano Cortina is going to be a great competition, probably the best [halfpipe] competition ever hosted, and definitely the highest level of progression thus far…. I’m excited to battle it out with everyone.”

Ferreira is no stranger to the aforementioned battle, as the men’s halfpipe field in America alone is stacked with competition, not to mention an incredible global array of talent. But he’s managed to maintain this winning spree of two seasons, having been on the podium at every FIS halfpipe comp since 2023 (13 total) and taking home his second consecutive Crystal Globe overall title this winter.

The Aspen local took home halfpipe medals at the Winter Games in 2018 and 2022, securing silver and bronze, respectively. Perhaps the best news from all of this is that we just might get a Hot Dog Hans Olympic appearance.

Stay tuned as FREESKIER continues to bring you coverage from the Stifel U.S Freeski Team and beyond ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics