Daily Times

Qatar has made an extraordinary impression globally by hosting an exceptional 2022 FIFA World Cup. By skillfully harnessing its soft power, Qatar has left a lasting and remarkable impression on fans around the world through its welcoming hospitality, cutting-edge sports facilities, and comprehensive security measures. As a result, Qatar’s sports diplomacy has been a huge success, allowing the country to gain tremendous benefits in its sports, tourism, hospitality, and construction sectors. As a country, Qatar has always leveraged sports as an effective tool of diplomacy, making it a unifying force beyond politics and borders, endearing it to people across the globe.

Before Qatar was chosen to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022, the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) had already established the framework for Doha’s sports diplomacy in 2011, following the release of Qatar’s National Development Strategy 2011-16. The QOC plays a central role in the investment and financial allocation of sporting events and serves as a focal point for international sports diplomacy. The QOC’s vision is to enhance Qatar’s global visibility and strengthen its sporting relationships with international organizations, as outlined in the National Development Strategy.

It’s noteworthy that, Qatar has already hosted close to 500 international sports events since 2005, including 63 international events in 2021, including six world championships. This has helped the country establish itself as a leading host of major sports events. As one of the premier nations in the Arab world, Qatar became the first country to host such a monumental global event as the FIFA World Cup.

The QOC plays a central role in the investment and financial allocation of sporting events and serves as a focal point for international sports diplomacy. The QOC’s vision is to enhance Qatar’s global visibility and strengthen its sporting relationships with international organizations, as outlined in the National Development Strategy.

Subsequently to winning the bid to host the FIFA World Cup, Qatar has made marked advancements in football and sports. In 2011, Qatar Sports Investment, a Qatari joint-stock company, procured a significant share in the French Ligue 1 football club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), while Sheikh Abdulla Al-Thani, a member of the emirate’s ruling family, acquired the Spanish football team Malaga CF. These two football ventures have since been pivotal to Qatar’s sports diplomacy efforts in the years following 2011. Qatar has been a principal sponsor of the French National Football Team and takes a keen interest in its financial management, notably due to the presence of French superstar footballer Kylian Mbappe, who plays for PSG. This inclusion alone has resulted in an investment surpassing the $1 billion mark in the club.

Qatar’s sports strategy centres around three key areas: promoting public health, driving socio-economic growth, and increasing tourism. Hosting the FIFA World Cup helped Qatar achieve its political goals, as sports diplomacy involves more than simply hosting events. The country’s sports transformation is closely aligned with Qatar’s Development Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the nation’s income streams through alternative means. As part of this strategy, Qatar intends to invest in and sponsor major European football clubs to gain ownership stakes. Doha has been highly successful in aligning the hosting of a mega-event, such as the FIFA World Cup, with the brand of Qatar, encompassing elements such as hospitality, Muslim identity, foreign direct investment, tourism, and perception on a global scale. Qatar has effectively employed sports diplomacy as a means of introducing lesser-known aspects of Qatari society, such as the country’s ability to adapt to foreign cultures, its incorporation of modernity, and its tolerance of diverse perspectives. The emirate has effectively constructed a Qatari notion of excellence within the global community.

After winning the bid to host the mega-event, Qatar also won over the hearts and minds of participants and attendees by distributing lavish gifts, including shawls, musk, wristbands, shirts, flags of Qatar, and a replica trophy. This display of generosity exemplifies traditional Arab hospitality and expresses Qatari gratitude. At the trophy handover ceremony following the finals, the Qatari Emir even presented a traditional robe to the winning captain of Argentina, Lionel Messi. These wholesome, Arab moments were witnessed by the entire world during the tournament.

Qatar’s sports diplomacy is not limited to football alone but serves to enhance the country’s image and positive identity within the sports world. The FIFA World Cup alone is estimated to have generated $7.5 billion in revenue for Qatar, in addition to income earned from other commercial deals. The country intends to capitalize on these commercial opportunities and attract a skilled workforce to the emirate. Furthermore, the hosting of the tournament has enabled Qatar to develop infrastructure, particularly the metro network in Doha, which has impressed commuters. Despite the positivity associated with the event, certain Western media outlets and societal segments have expressed concerns regarding Qatar’s Islamic identity and questioned the extent of human rights, freedom to drink, and dress codes within the country. Qatar has taken a clear stance on its Muslim identity and has convinced the world to respect its culture and social norms. FIFA has supported Qatar and promoted a “No Discrimination” campaign to ensure that the World Cup is inclusive and tolerant.

The writer is Director of, Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies