RIYADH — Saudi Arabia will be represented at the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics after the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee officially confirmed the Kingdom’s participation in the Games, which will be hosted by Italy from Feb. 6 to 22, 2026.
The announcement underlines Saudi Arabia’s growing presence on the Olympic stage and reflects sustained efforts to expand participation across a wider range of sports disciplines.
The initiative forms part of broader development programs supported by the Kingdom’s leadership and overseen by Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Saudi Arabia’s delegation will compete in two winter sports, with Fayik Abdi set to take part in alpine skiing and Rakan Aliriza representing the Kingdom in cross-country skiing.
The participation marks another milestone in the gradual building of a structured winter sports ecosystem in Saudi Arabia, which has seen notable progress in organization, athlete preparation programs, and increased participation in recent years.
Officials described the Milan–Cortina Games as an important step in exposing Saudi athletes to elite international competition, helping to enhance technical standards and overall competitiveness while strengthening the Kingdom’s long-term sporting ambitions.
The Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee reiterated its commitment to athlete development, stressing its focus on providing an optimal competitive environment that allows Saudi athletes to represent the Kingdom with distinction and reflect its sporting values on the global stage.
Separately, Saudi national rowing team athlete Hussein Aliriza, a member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, took part in a preparatory meeting held by the commission at the executive office of the International Olympic Committee.
The meeting was attended by Kirsty Coventry and focused on organizational and operational preparations ahead of the Winter Games.
Discussions centered on the technical, administrative, health, psychological, and nutritional arrangements put in place by the IOC and the Milan–Cortina organizing committee, aimed at ensuring athletes are fully supported to perform at the highest level during the Games.