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The ninth iteration of the Winter Asian Games will take place in Harbin, a city in northern China, in 2025, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) confirmed in its announcement. At its 42nd Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, the OCA General Assembly unanimously approved Harbin as the single candidate city for the Games.
Major international winter sports competitions have long been held in Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang Province. It served as the venue for the 24th World University Games in 2009, the 10th National Winter Games of China, and the third Winter Asian Games in 1996. Excellent winter sports facilities, five-star hotel accommodations, and an international airport are also available in Harbin.
Every four years, athletes from Asia compete in a multisport tournament known as the Winter Asian Games. In 1986, the first tournament took place in Sapporo, Japan. Since then, a number of nations, including China, Japan, South Korea, and Kazakhstan, have hosted the Olympics. In 2017, the eighth edition was again held in Sapporo. With 27 gold medals, Japan led the medal standings, followed by South Korea with 16 and China with 12.
After Beijing hosted the Olympic Winter Games in February of this year, the OCA anticipates that Harbin 2025 will help the growth of winter sports in China and throughout Asia. "I'm fully convinced Harbin can deliver an outstanding Asian Winter Games and ensure the development of winter sports in China and throughout Asia," COC Vice President Yu Zaiqing said.
The next edition of the Games will be held in Trojena, Saudi Arabia in 2029. This will be the first time that the Games will be held in a Middle Eastern country.
