RIYADH — Saudi Arabia will be represented at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, after the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee officially approved Saudi Arabia’s participation in the Olympics, which will be hosted by Italy from February 6 to 22, 2026.
The announcement highlights Saudi Arabia’s growing presence on the Olympic stage and reflects continued efforts to expand participation across a wider range of sports.
The initiative forms part of a broader development program supported by Saudi leadership and overseen by Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Minister of Sports and Chairman of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
The Saudi delegation will compete in two winter sports, with Faikh Abdi representing the kingdom in alpine skiing and Rakan Aliriza representing the kingdom in cross-country skiing.
This participation marks another milestone in the gradual creation of a structured winter sports ecosystem in Saudi Arabia. Recent years have seen significant progress in organization, athlete preparation programs, and increased participation.
Officials explained that the Milan-Cortina Games are an important step in exposing Saudi athletes to elite international competition and will help improve skill standards and overall competitiveness while reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s long-term sporting ambitions.
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The Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee reiterated its commitment to athlete development and emphasized its focus on providing an optimal competitive environment for Saudi athletes to achieve outstanding results on behalf of the Kingdom and reflect their sporting values on the world stage.
Separately, Hussein Aliriza, a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission and a member of the Saudi national rowing team, participated in a preparatory meeting held by the IOC at the International Olympic Committee Secretariat.
The meeting, which was also attended by Kirsty Coventry, focused on organizational and operational preparations for the Winter Olympics.
Discussions centered on the technical, administrative, health, psychological and nutritional arrangements put in place by the IOC and the Milan-Cortina Organizing Committee, with the aim of ensuring that athletes are fully supported to perform at the highest level during the Games.
