Doha: Following the huge success in hosting the 2022 World Cup and 2024 AFC Asian Cup, Qatar has officially entered the race to become the host of the world’s biggest sporting events, the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) yesterday announced it is in talks with the International Olympic Committee, as part of the new Host City election process for the multi-sport extravaganza.
Qatar has established its status as the sport capital of the world by playing host to numerous events over the years, and has proven the country’s capacity to handle such large-scale global events.
The country’s illustrious record in hosting mega events makes the nation a credible contender to stage the 2036 Olympics.
In a statement released yesterday, the President of QOC and the Chairman of the Bid Committee HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani emphasized that Qatar is more than capable of undertaking the challenge of hosting the Olympics.
“We currently have 95% of the required sports infrastructure in place to host the Games, and we have a comprehensive national plan to ensure 100% readiness of all facilities.
This plan is rooted in a long-term vision aimed at building a socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable legacy.
Our objective goes beyond simply organizing a successful event, we aim to deliver a global experience that reinforces the values of inclusivity, sustainability, and international collaboration,” HE Sheikh Joaan stated.
“We believe in the power of sport to bring people and cultures closer together, to empower individuals, and to unlock human potential, especially among youth.
Our participation in the ongoing dialogue around hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036 reflects a national vision that sees sport as a driver of development and a platform for promoting mutual understanding and peace among nations.
We have made sport a central pillar of our national strategy, and today, we aspire to elevate that role regionally and globally by presenting a new model - one that reflects the diversity of our region and celebrates its authentic human values,” the QOC President noted.
The QOC highlighted that the bid to host the Games aligns with Qatar’s National Vision 2030, which places human, social, and economic development at the heart of its priorities.
“It also supports the objectives of the Third National Development Strategy, which underscores the importance of investing in sport and culture as means through which to build vibrant communities, foster active civic engagement, and promote social cohesion and sustainable well-being,” the statement read.
Qatar’s impressive resume as a host nation is unmatched, organizing 18 World Championships in the last 20 years alone.
Key highlights include the 2022 FIFA World Cup – celebrated as the best ever FIFA spectacle, the 2006 and upcoming 2030 Asian Games, and a host of premier events of the caliber of the World Championships for Athletics (2019), Aquatics (2024), Table Tennis (2025), and the upcoming Basketball World Cup (2027).
Qatar’s bid for the 2036 Games is driven by a clear purpose - to use the Games as a platform for national development - focusing on engaging youth, sharing knowledge, fostering innovation, and promoting sustainability to make the event align with both Olympic and Qatar’s national values.
Unlike in the past, the candidate nations and cities are no longer required to make their bids public under the IOC’s reformed selection process.
In 2019, the IOC introduced the concept of selecting the hosts through ‘targeted dialogues’ rather than competing in a traditional bid process to win the host status.
The 2030 and 2034 Winter Games were awarded in 2024 to the French Alps and Salt Lake City, respectively, through the same process, while the 2032 Brisbane Games were awarded in 2021, also following targeted dialogues.
Apart from Doha, Qatar, the other cities and nations who are already involved in dialogues with the IOC include Nusantara (Indonesia), Istanbul (Turkiye), Ahmedabad (India) and Santiago (Chile).
Saudi Arabia, Seoul (South Korea), Egypt, Budapest (Hungary), Italy, Berlin (Germany), Copenhagen (Denmark), Toronto and Montreal (Canada) have also shown interest in hosting the 2036 Games.
