The Saudi national winter sports team continues its intensive preparations, setting its sights on the historic participation expected in the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. These preparations are part of a comprehensive training and technical program aimed at enhancing the physical and mental readiness of Saudi athletes and enabling them to compete at the highest international levels in this major sporting event.
This participation is not a coincidence, but rather an extension of the historic steps the Kingdom has taken in the world of winter sports. At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Saudi Arabia made its first-ever appearance in the history of the Winter Olympics, represented by skier Faiq Abdi, who raised the Saudi flag in an event that marked a turning point in Saudi sports. Today, the Kingdom seeks to build on this achievement, broaden participation, and enhance the competitiveness of its athletes.
These efforts fall within the broader framework of Saudi Vision 2030, which places great emphasis on developing the sports sector and diversifying international participation. The Kingdom's ambition extends beyond mere participation to hosting major winter sporting events, as demonstrated by its winning bid to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games in the futuristic city of Trogina in NEOM – an unprecedented step that underscores its seriousness and commitment to developing world-class infrastructure for winter sports in the heart of the desert.
In preparation for the upcoming competition, Saudi cross-country skier Rakan Ali Reza is undergoing a series of varied training sessions, including intensive snow training and recovery periods, to ensure he reaches peak performance before the start of his competition on February 13. Meanwhile, alpine skier Faiq Abedi continues his daily training on the competition trails as part of a program that includes technical drills, equipment readiness assessments, and recovery sessions. He is preparing for the alpine skiing competitions scheduled for February 14 and 16, which are considered important preparatory stages on his path to the 2026 Olympics.
The significance of this participation transcends the boundaries of athletic competition, carrying considerable weight on local, regional, and international levels. Locally, it aims to inspire a new generation of Saudi youth and encourage them to participate in sports previously unfamiliar to them. Regionally, it positions Saudi Arabia as a key player on the Middle Eastern sports scene. Internationally, this participation reflects the Kingdom's image as an ambitious and globally engaged nation, capable of achieving the impossible and competing in all arenas.
