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Qatar's Sporting Ambitions: Beyond Football
4 Jan
Summary
- Qatar hosted three major FIFA tournaments in late 2025.
- Doha also hosted the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships.
- The nation is preparing to host the 2027 Basketball World Cup.
In the final months of 2025, Qatar solidified its status as a premier global sports host, successfully staging three major FIFA tournaments: the Under-17 World Cup, the Arab Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup. This demanding schedule involved nearly 180 matches across various state-of-the-art venues, demonstrating significant organizational prowess.
Following the football events, Doha transitioned to hosting the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships, marking its second time as host for this prestigious chess tournament. This diversification underscores Qatar's ambition to be a hub for a wide array of sports, including shooting and motorsports, with further international events like the 2026 World Shooting Championships and the 2027 Basketball World Cup on the horizon.
Qatar's extensive experience, particularly from the 2022 FIFA World Cup, has provided the expertise to manage consecutive large-scale events. The nation is now looking towards even larger multi-sport spectacles, including a bid for the 2030 Asian Games and potentially the 2036 Olympic Games, underscoring a clear strategy to expand its international sporting influence.
