The 2029 Asian Winter Games were initially planned to be hosted in TROJENA, a high-altitude resort in the Kingdom’s planned megacity of NEOM.  It was meant to feature 30km of ski runs and artificial snow pumped from the Gulf of Aqaba, 200km away.

Saudi Arabia announced in 2022 that it had won the right to host the Winter Games – raising eyebrows over the logistics of creating a winter ski resort in the desert.

However, the project has grappled with construction difficulties, meaning it may not be completed in time, the FT reports – though authorities insist the works are running on schedule.

Saudi Arabia and the Olympic Council of Asia are thought to have have begun informal talks with other countries to potentially take over the 2029 Games.

Read the full story at MSN