Almaty, Kazakhstan, July 23, 2026: The first inspection visit of the Olympic Council of Asia delegation to Almaty has concluded as part of preparations for the 10th Asian Winter Games in 2029.
The Almaty City Administration and Almaty Sports Department organised the working programme, which included meetings, visits to sports venues and a review of the city’s hotel infrastructure.
Representatives of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan travelled to Almaty to take part in the discussions with the OCA delegation.
The parties discussed the Games governance structure, the sports programme, the condition and planned modernisation of venues, transport, accommodation, accreditation, IT infrastructure, media and broadcasting.
During the visit, the OCA delegation inspected several sports venues across the city and mountain cluster, including Halyk Arena, Almaty Arena, the Medeu High-Mountain Sports Complex, Shymbulak Mountain Resort, the Sunkar International Ski Jumping Complex and Baluan Sholak Sports Palace.
The inspections covered the current condition of the venues, modernisation plans, sports and technical areas, transport accessibility and compliance with the requirements of international sports federations.
The OCA representatives positively assessed Almaty’s sports infrastructure and the city’s readiness to host the Games, taking into account its existing sporting legacy. Particular attention was given to the mountain cluster and the timelines for completing the planned works.
The visit also included a review of Almaty’s hotel infrastructure. The delegation assessed room capacity, conference facilities, transport accessibility and accommodation conditions for Games participants and officials. The information collected will support the further development of the accommodation concept.
Following the visit, the parties agreed to continue work on establishing the Organising Committee, developing a consolidated roadmap and finalising the sports programme.
Points of contact will also be appointed across the main functional areas to coordinate further work with the relevant OCA departments.
Almaty was officially awarded the right to host the 10th Asian Winter Games on February 5, 2026. The Host City Contract was signed in Milan by Gennadiy Golovkin, President of NOC Kazakhstan, and His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the OCA, on the sidelines of the Olympic Winter Games.
In April 2026, the OCA Executive Board approved Kudrat Shamiyev as OCA Vice President responsible for the organisation of the 10th Asian Winter Games Almaty 2029. In this role, he will oversee preparations for and the delivery of the Games and coordinate organisational matters with the relevant OCA bodies.
The Games will take place in Almaty in 2029. Kazakhstan will host the Asian Winter Games for the second time, following the 2011 edition held in Astana and Almaty.
