RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan 24, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The Asian Winter Games, due to 
be held in Saudi Arabia in 2029, have been postponed, the Olympic Council of 
Asia (OCA) and the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee said in a joint statement 
on Saturday.

"The Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the (OCA) have agreed on an 
updated framework for future hosting of the Asian Winter Games, confirming 
the postponement of the 2029 edition to a later date to be announced in due 
course," the bodies said.

"Under the revised framework, Saudi Arabia will host a series of standalone 
winter sports events in the coming years. These competitions are designed to 
promote winter sports... while providing additional preparation time to 
support wider regional representation at future Asian winter events," the 
statement added.

In August, the OCA had said preparations for the games were on schedule after 
South Korea and China emerged as potential replacements.

The OCA in 2022 unanimously approved the desert kingdom's bid to stage the 
Games at its $500 billion megacity NEOM, part of Saudi Arabia's splurge on 
major sporting events, including the 2034 football World Cup.

However, Riyadh has appeared to stall on delivery of the ski resortand had 
discussed staging the event four years later than planned.

The Saudis were mulling approaching South Korea and China to instead play 
host in 2029, media reports at the time indicated.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that the OCA asked Korean Sport & 
Olympic Committee (KSOC) president Ryu Seung-min if the country would be 
willing to replace Saudi Arabia.

South Korea and China had been suggested as potential replacements because 
they hosted the Winter Olympics in 2018 and 2022 respectively.

China also staged the Asian Winter Games in its northern city of Harbin in 
February.

The futuristic and under-construction NEOM was to feature a year-round winter 
sports complex in the mountains of Trojena.