Online Reporter
QATAR has confirmed its interest in hosting the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The country’s Olympic committee (QOC) confirmed on Tuesday it was in “ongoing discussions” with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over staging the Games.
The Middle East nation hosted the men’s football World Cup in 2022.
“This move underscores the State of Qatar’s unwavering commitment to supporting the Olympic and Paralympic Movements and its keen interest in playing an active role in the advancement of global sport,” a QOC statement said.
Staging a Summer Games in the searing heat of the Middle East may require a move out of the event’s traditional slot. The 2022 World Cup was played in November and December instead of June and July.
Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, president of the QOC and chair of the bid committee, said: “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 organising a successful event, we aim to deliver a global experience that reinforces the values of inclusivity, sustainability and international collaboration.”
The new IOC president, Kirsty Coventry, said last month that her organisation would be reviewing the process for determining Games hosts.
As countries are no longer required to make their candidacies public, the next selection will signify the first major decision for current IOC President Coventry, who became the first woman and African to lead the Swiss-based organisation in June.
Even as Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani underlined that Doha had “made sport a central pillar of our national strategy”, Amnesty International reports claiming thousands of migrant workers died in the lead-up to the 2022 World Cup still linger in the global consciousness; though organisers only listed 37 deaths by employees on the FIFA project, and allegedly only three in work-related accidents.
With Coventry pondering her next step, earlier this month, India intensified its campaign to host the Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games as well, following high-level discussions in Lausanne as part of the IOC’s ‘Continuous Dialogue’ process, an initial stage of non-committal discussions with interested parties.
A delegation led by Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha and Gujarat Sports Minister Harsh Sanghavi outlined the country’s case at the meeting as Ahmedabad, Gujarat’s largest metropolis, was proposed as the host city for the candidacy, which was formalised in October last year with the submission of a Letter of Intent.
With Tuesday’s announcement, Qatar is following suit, hoping its participation in such get-togethers helps underline its official message that the country is indeed committed to supporting the Olympic and Paralympic Movements and has a keen interest in playing an active role in the advancement of global sport; not to mention unparalleled financing resources and logistical muscle, according to its wishful organisers.
“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,” Al Thani stressed.
“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.”
The official statement made sure to mention that this latest step aligns with Qatar’s publicised “National Vision 2030” initiative, which is supposed to place 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 text reads.
With the bid still not official at the end of last year, plenty of media outlets insisted then that Doha and 2036 were inseparable once the Olympic projects came into focus, as the idea of hosting the Games in Qatar “goes beyond just sports and actually represents a strategic effort to create lasting social, educational, and cultural impact in the Middle East,” according to Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al‑Thani’s address at the “Olympism365 Summit: Sport for a Better World” last month, where she reiterated her nation’s Olympic pledge.
Qatar, warts and all, boasts quite the ample portfolio in hosting major international sporting events, having organised 18 world championships in various disciplines over the past two decades, including the FIFA World Cup, the 2015 IHF Men’s Handball World Championship, the 2019 World Athletics Championships, the 2024 World Aquatics Championships, and the 2025 World Table Tennis Championships that Bach witnessed first-hand.
With a population of just over 2.7 million, its international profile continues to grow and, since first competing in the 1984 Los Angeles Games, its athletes have earned a total of nine Olympic medals—four of which came during the recent Tokyo and Paris editions.
While the Games are meant to rotate continents every season, with the 2024, 2028, and 2032 editions set for Europe, North America, and Oceania, respectively, Asia or Africa have emerged as a likely possibility once the Summer Games again roll around in 11 years’ time, according to various insiders, which would signify a landmark hosting designation.
“This could finally be Africa’s moment. Egypt formally expressed interest, and South Africa may follow,” German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) Board Member Volker Bouffier said three months ago, “In that scenario, Europe seems unlikely to win. In my opinion, it is not Europe’s turn in 2036.”
The competition, he noted, spans continents as India believes Asia’s time has come after Europe, North America, and Brisbane 2032; Qatar, the late 2024 frontrunner, also faces regional competition from Saudi Arabia while Chile could aim to unite South America’s plea, and Türkiye remains in the fold.
One of the smallest and wealthiest states in the Gulf, the latest contestant to officially enter the ring insists that its proposed vision for hosting in 2036 reflects a national outlook “that views sport as a platform for youth engagement, knowledge transfer, innovation, and support for environmental and social priorities – fully aligned with the aspirations of the modern Olympic Movement and the values of the State of Qatar” which is currently preparing to host other prestigious global events like the ISSF World Shooting Championship 2026, the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027, and the 2030 Asian Games.
The committee also affirmed that, if awarded the Games, it would mark the first Olympics ever held in the Middle East and North Africa, which would supposedly allow Qatar to present a distinctive Arab model “rooted in diversity and openness, built on a foundation of sustainable legacy and the power of sport to inspire hope. – Agencies/Sports Reporter.
