Central Asia’s Largest Olympic City Opens in Uzbekistan’s Tashkent

The Olympic City in Tashkent, Central Asia’s largest sports complex built with support from China, has officially opened its doors to athletes. The launch marks a major step in Uzbekistan–China cooperation and provides world-class facilities for national sports teams.

Constructed by China CAMC Engineering, the Olympic City in Tashkent spans 100 hectares with a total building area of 100,000 square meters. The complex includes a stadium, velodrome, swimming hall, multipurpose ball games hall, and an arena for contact sports. It is the first major joint project completed since the 2022 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Samarkand summit.

For Uzbek athletes, the facilities are already making a difference. Track cyclist Daniil Fyodorov said training on the new velodrome has been a long-awaited dream.

«This is the first venue in Uzbekistan dedicated to professional cycling. We had two concrete tracks before, but training on them was not as fast as riding on this one,» he said.

Olympic taekwondo medalist Svetlana Osipova also praised the new hall, noting that professional mats allow her to prepare more effectively for future competitions.

The Olympic City in Tashkent was completed in less than three years, a record timeline for a project of this scale. Project manager Guo Zijie explained that the complex was designed and built to Chinese standards. Uzbek officials highlighted the cost-effectiveness and quality of the construction, with Deputy Minister of Sports Shahrillo Mahmudov calling it an example of successful partnership.

As a national priority project, the Olympic City will eventually be open to all residents of Tashkent. Local communities have welcomed the development, saying it will inspire new generations to pursue sports and healthy lifestyles. Residents also expressed gratitude to China for sharing both technology and expertise during construction.