In a significant development for winter sports in Asia, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced on Thursday that Almaty, Kazakhstan will host the 2029 Asian Winter Games, replacing the originally scheduled host Neom in Saudi Arabia. The decision was formally declared during a contract signing ceremony in Milan, coinciding with the eve of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The hosting change follows last month’s postponement of the event in Neom, where Saudi authorities appeared to delay the delivery of essential infrastructure, particularly the planned year-round ski resort in Trojena. This facility is a central component of Neom, the kingdom’s ambitious $500 billion megaproject aimed at constructing a futuristic city in the western desert region along the Red Sea.
OCA President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani expressed gratitude to the Kazakh government and city of Almaty for their commitment to advancing winter sports across the continent. “Almaty is a city with deep connections to winter sports and we have very fond memories of when we last hosted the Asian Winter Games in 2011,” stated Sheikh Joaan during the official proceedings. “We are grateful for your ongoing partnership and we have no doubt we’ll build on this legacy and host an unforgettable games in 2029.”
Almaty brings substantial experience to the event, having previously hosted the Asian Winter Games in 2011 across both Almaty and the capital Astana. The city has also demonstrated ambitions in the international winter sports arena through its previous bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics, though ultimately unsuccessful in securing the event against Beijing.
The transition to Almaty represents a strategic shift for the Asian winter sports community, replacing Saudi Arabia’s untested winter sports infrastructure with Kazakhstan’s established winter sports facilities and organizational experience. This change ensures continuity for the quadrennial event while maintaining the scheduled 2029 timeline rather than implementing the proposed four-year postponement that had been discussed with Saudi organizers.