Saudi Arabia is writing a new chapter in its sporting legacy at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, with two athletes representing the Kingdom on the world’s most prestigious winter stage. Cross-country skier Rakan Alireza and alpine skier Fayik Abdi are carrying the green flag through the Italian Alps, marking only the second time Saudi athletes have competed in the Winter Games.
Alireza, who served as the Kingdom’s flagbearer during the opening ceremony at the Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium on February 6, will compete in the men’s 10-kilometre freestyle cross-country skiing event. His selection as flagbearer underscored Saudi Arabia’s growing commitment to winter sports and its determination to compete across all athletic disciplines, regardless of geography or climate.
The Kingdom’s winter sports journey began just four years ago at the Beijing 2022 Games, when Fayik Rifat Abdi became Saudi Arabia’s first-ever Winter Olympian. The alpine skier, who once worked as a ski technician in Utah before pursuing competitive racing, stunned observers by completing the giant slalom course, a feat that nearly half the field failed to achieve. At Milan-Cortina, Abdi returns with greater experience, set to compete in both the giant slalom on February 14 and the slalom on February 16.
Saudi Arabia’s presence at the Winter Olympics reflects a broader transformation underway across the Kingdom’s sports sector. Under Vision 2030, the country has invested heavily in diversifying its athletic programs, establishing winter sports training facilities and forging partnerships with international federations. The Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee has expanded its athlete development pipeline to include disciplines far beyond the traditional Gulf sporting landscape.
The Kingdom’s delegation also made waves off the slopes. At Clubhouse 26, the official hospitality venue for Olympic delegations in Milan, Saudi Arabia was the sole representative of the Arab world in a fashion showcase featuring 17 national Olympic committees. The presentation highlighted the intersection of sport and culture that has become a hallmark of the Kingdom’s international engagement.
With the Winter Games running through February 22, all eyes in Saudi Arabia will be on Abdi as he takes to the slopes in Bormio this weekend. For a nation that has rapidly positioned itself as a global sporting powerhouse through hosting Formula One, FIFA events, and major boxing cards, the Winter Olympics represent the next frontier in an ambitious athletic vision that knows no seasonal boundaries.
