Qatar’s ambition to stage the most important sporting events in the world remains a driving force for the country despite its successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup, thusly becoming the first nation in the Middle East to be awarded the biggest football tournament in the sporting calendar.

Now, Qatar has set its sights on a bid for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which would also mark the first time an Arab nation has staged the Games. The 2022 World Cup is viewed as a fundamental pillar of the country’s bid for the 2032 Games, which the country’s sporting authorities hope will be preceded by successful bids for the Asian Cup in 2027 and the Asian Games in 2030.

The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) has announced that it has presented its candidature to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) so that continued non-binding dialogue can take place over the possibility of staging the 2023 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Qatar.

Qatar eager to stage a sustainable Olympic Games 

Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, said: “The Olympic Games have never been held in the Middle East, which would symbolize peace and united hope for the world.”

In line with Qatar’s National Vision 2030 development programme, the country has undertaken major structural work that has produced sports facilities and a modern transport network. Should Qatar be awarded the 2032 Games, further projects at the economic, environmental and community levels would be accelerated.

The IOC has committed itself to a new trajectory in organizing future Games, with a permanent council to be set up to foster cooperation, flexibility and sustainability. This vision will ensure that future editions of the Olympics will be staged based on long-term strategies of sustainability for host cities and regions, which is one of the primary reasons the QOC has announced its intention to bid for an Olympics in the future.