Kazakhstan Secures 2029 Asian Winter Games Hosting Rights After Saudi Arabia Steps Down
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has officially confirmed that Kazakhstan will host the 2029 Asian Winter Games, replacing Saudi Arabia as the venue. The decision was announced during a signing ceremony held on the sidelines of the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy, ending months of intense speculation about the feasibility of Saudi Arabia's ambitious Trojena project.
Strategic Shift from Desert Aspirations to Steppe Legacy
The 10th Asian Winter Games were originally awarded to Neom, Saudi Arabia's planned mega-city on the Red Sea coast. However, the OCA determined that Trojena—a $500 billion mountain resort requiring a vertical ski village and massive man-made lake in the Sarawat Mountains—would not meet operational deadlines for the 2029 event. This marks a significant pivot from the "greenfield" aspirations of Saudi Vision 2030 to Kazakhstan's established winter sports infrastructure.
OCA President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani expressed confidence in Kazakhstan's capabilities, stating, "We have no doubt we will build on Kazakhstan's legacy and deliver an unforgettable Games in 2029." He emphasized that Almaty's strong track record, including hosting the Asian Winter Games in 2011, provides the council with assurance regarding successful execution.
Why Almaty Emerged as the Preferred Choice
The relocation represents a fundamental shift in hosting philosophy, prioritizing existing "legacy infrastructure" over speculative engineering projects. Key factors favoring Almaty include:
- Operational Readiness: Unlike Trojena, which faced construction delays, Almaty boasts fully operational venues like the Shymbulak Alpine Resort and Medeu Alpine Ice Arena.
- Climate Advantage: Almaty benefits from natural snowfall supplemented by snowmaking, whereas Trojena would have relied entirely on artificial snow and desalination.
- Proven Experience: Kazakhstan has hosted major winter events including the 2011 Asian Winter Games and 2017 Winter Universiade.
- Urban Proximity: Almaty's venues are close to a major urban center with established transit systems, unlike Trojena's remote location requiring new infrastructure.
Gennady Golovkin, President of Kazakhstan's National Olympic Committee, highlighted this strategic advantage: "Organising complex international competitions confirms the international community's confidence in Kazakhstan's ability to host high-level tournaments without large-scale additional construction."
The Technical and Environmental Challenges of Trojena
Experts point to multiple factors behind Saudi Arabia's withdrawal. The technical complexity of creating a "desalination-to-snow" pipeline was estimated to require approximately 3.7 gigawatt-hours of energy annually, surpassing the Kingdom's immediate delivery capacity. Environmental concerns also played a role, with climate modeling suggesting that even with artificial snow production, low-elevation areas might have zero skiable days by the 2050s due to climate change.
Farah Al-Hashimi, a Middle Eastern urban development expert, described the relocation as a necessary "course correction," noting that scaling back ambitious projects reflects "adaptive strategy in the face of reality."
Broader Implications for NEOM and Saudi Vision 2030
While the Games relocation represents a setback for Saudi Arabia's sporting calendar, it aligns with a broader "pivot to industry" within the NEOM megaproject. The Public Investment Fund is reportedly shifting focus from purely residential developments to tangible economic hubs like:
- The Line: Originally envisioned as a 170-kilometer linear city, now targeting a first-phase completion of 2.4 to 5 kilometers by 2030.
- Oxagon: Industrial sector progress continues, with the NEOM Green Hydrogen Company aiming to produce 600 tonnes of carbon-free hydrogen daily by late 2026.
- Sindalah: The luxury island destination opened in October 2024 as NEOM's first physical "proof-of-concept" for high-end tourism.
A joint statement from the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and OCA framed the decision as a strategic deferment rather than cancellation, aiming to "build a base of athletes and allow additional time to prepare for broader participation" in future editions.
Geopolitical and Human Rights Considerations
The recalibration of NEOM has also been influenced by external pressures. Human rights organizations have raised concerns about the treatment of the Howeitat tribe, with reports of approximately 20,000 members allegedly forcibly displaced from ancestral lands. Jeed Basyouni of Reprieve noted, "There is a massive gulf between the 'New Future' being sold to investors and the reality for those living on that land for centuries."
For the international sports community, the choice of Almaty suggests that "legacy infrastructure" and "operational readiness" will increasingly outweigh ambitious but unproven proposals for future continental events. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia appears to be concentrating resources on sectors with near-term economic benefits, such as AI infrastructure and luxury tourism, while Trojena's futuristic slopes remain a project for a more technologically advanced future.
