The UAE makes history by sending a senior team to the Winter Olympics for the first time at Milan-Cortina 2026, showcasing its determination and investment in winter sports despite geographic challenges.

Among the surprises of the Winter Olympics this year has been the debut of a team from the United Arab Emirates. The small, desert country is fielding two athletes at these Games - including one born in New Zealand.

The National Olympic Committee (NOC) of the UAE in cooperation with the UAE Winter Sports Federation and Ski Dubai, on Sunday honoured the athletes

Alex Astridge is set to make history this month as the first male alpine skier to represent the UAE at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. This milestone is the culmination of a decade-long strategic partnership between Majid Al Futtaim’s Ski Dubai,

The 2026 Winter Olympics will see athletes competing from five MENA countries: Morocco, Lebanon, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and debutants the UAE.

Determination is at the heart of how a Hawke's Bay-raised athlete became part of the United Arab Emirates first ever winter Olympic team.

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It’s amazing for all the kids back in Ski Dubai because they can see that there's a pathway and there's an end goal."

Bissau, along with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from the Middle East, are making their Winter Olympic debuts, while North Korea has not received an invitation. The exclusion is not due to political reasons or sanctions from the International Olympic Committee (IOC),

"Amid pressing international conflicts, the Olympics is one of the most significant geopolitical events of the year."