Qatar is positioning its World Cup infrastructure and experience hosting major sporting events as key advantages in its bid for the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The International Olympic Committee has confirmed Qatar as an “interested party” alongside Germany, Hungary, India, South Korea, South Africa and Turkey. IOC members are expected to choose the host city in mid-2029.
Doha’s athletics facilities include the 45,000-plus-seat Khalifa International Stadium, which hosted the 2019 World Athletics Championships, and the 14,000-seat Suheim bin Hamad Stadium, home of the Doha Diamond League. Qatar also hosts Formula 1, cycling, tennis and basketball events.
Qatar became the first Arab and Middle Eastern country to host the Fifa World Cup in 2022. A successful Olympic bid would give it the same distinction for the Games.
The World Cup generated up to 1% of Qatar’s GDP in direct economic activity, according to the International Monetary Fund. The government estimates it produced QAR8 billion ($2.2 billion) in direct financial returns and QAR9.9 billion in longer-term gains through 2035.
Simon Chadwick of Emlyon Business School said Doha already had much of the infrastructure required for an Olympics, but questioned whether the IOC would prefer a new market and larger economic opportunity in India.
Source: AGBI
