Shenzhen to host global indoor skiing event

Shenzhen will host China’s first indoor International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS)-certified event in 2026 from April 23 to 24, as the city continues to expand its profile in international winter sports.

The “FIS Huafa Hot Snow Miracle Cup — Asian Indoor Alpine Skiing Championships” will be staged in Bao’an, bringing a FIS-certified alpine skiing points competition to southern China.

Sanctioned by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, the championship will feature men’s and women’s slalom events in the youth category for athletes aged 16 to 21.

Competitors will be able to earn or improve their FIS points, a key factor in qualifying for higher-level international competitions and, ultimately, the Winter Olympic Games.

A snowboarder descends an indoor slope at Huafa Hot Snow Miracle in Bao'an, where the venue is set to host a FIS-certified alpine skiing event in 2026. Liu Xudong

The event will be held at Huafa Hot Snow Miracle in Bao’an, which obtained FIS's track certification in September 2025. Certified courses include intermediate slalom, advanced slalom and advanced parallel slalom.

The venue is among the few indoor competition ski tracks in Asia to receive FIS certification.

The championship is expected to draw elite skiers from across Asia and beyond, while providing a boost to winter sports development in Shenzhen and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

It also underscores the region’s efforts to broaden its winter sports footprint and build a larger ice-and-snow industry ecosystem.