Saudi Arabia’s 2029 Asian Winter Games delayed to undisclosed date

The Asian Winter Games scheduled for 2029 have been postponed to an unspecified later date, the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced on Saturday.

In a joint statement, the two institutions said they had agreed on “a new framework for the future organization of the Asian Winter Games,” confirming that the 2029 edition would be deferred, with a new date to be announced in due course.

The decision comes after the Games were awarded to Saudi Arabia, a move that sparked controversy due to the country’s desert climate and the scale of infrastructure required to host winter sports events. The competition was set to take place in Trojena, a mountain destination under development as part of the NEOM megaproject in the northwest of the kingdom.

Saudi authorities and the OCA did not provide specific reasons for the postponement, nor did they indicate whether the event would still be held in Trojena once rescheduled. The statement also did not outline changes to the host city or the overall concept of the Games.

The Asian Winter Games, held every four years, bring together athletes from across the continent to compete in winter sports such as alpine skiing, ice hockey, figure skating, and speed skating. The last edition took place in Sapporo, Japan, in 2017, while Harbin, China, is set to host the next Games in 2025.

Further details on the revised timeline and organizational plans are expected to be communicated by the OCA and Saudi authorities at a later stage.