The Olympic Council of Asia announced today, Tuesday, that Saudi Arabia will host the 2029 Asian Winter Games in the massive futuristic city of NEOM, which its developers claim will include a winter sports complex. The council stated in a statement following its general assembly held in Phnom Penh that "the deserts and mountains of Saudi Arabia will soon become a playground for winter sports."
The statement noted that Saudi Arabia's bid was approved "by consensus," emphasizing that NEOM will be the first city to host the winter event in West Asia. The city, announced for the first time in 2017, is inspired by sci-fi film settings, featuring flying taxis and working robots.
Last July, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled plans for the design of "The Line," the heart of NEOM located on the Red Sea coast in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The Asian Winter Games will be held in an area called "Trojena" in NEOM, which "features varying temperatures throughout the year; in winter, temperatures drop below zero degrees Celsius, while being 10 degrees cooler and milder than the rest of the region," according to the project's website.
Investing in sports is part of a multifaceted strategy adopted six years ago to diversify the oil-dependent economy in this Gulf state, as part of a long-term project by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (36 years old). Last month, Egypt announced that it is discussing with Saudi Arabia and Greece the possibility of submitting a joint bid to organize the 2030 World Cup.
