Overview

• The Financial Times reported that Saudi officials have discussed asking South Korea or China to take over the 2029 Asian Winter Games if Trojena is not ready, a claim both governments deny.
• Sources cited by the FT describe severe engineering bottlenecks at Trojena’s centerpiece “The Vault,” including 3,000 required rock anchors and installation rates that could stretch work for years.
• Key water infrastructure remains unresolved, with the main desalination plant not yet built and the planned artificial lake still unfilled despite timelines that require years of pumping from the Gulf of Aqaba.
• Neom says development is progressing on a phased schedule and that work continues at Trojena, while former staff told the FT that contingency plans exist to stage the event even if parts of the resort are unfinished.
• Reporting also highlights financial strain and recent scaling‑backs across Neom, including The Line’s reduction to 2.4 km by 2030, alongside human‑rights allegations over Howeitat displacement that heighten reputational risk.