Qatar announces bid to host 2036 Olympic Games

Doha has officially entered the race to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Qatari authorities announced on Tuesday, as the energy-rich Gulf nation aims to secure another major global sporting event to support its economic diversification.

Having already staged the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar, one of the smallest yet wealthiest countries in the Gulf, now hopes to become the first nation in the Middle East and North Africa to host the Olympic Games.

“This official bid by the Qatar Olympic Committee marks a significant step in our country's sporting journey,” said Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in a statement released via the Qatar News Agency.

He added that the proposal draws on Qatar’s established experience in organizing world-class sporting events, with the 2022 World Cup being the most prominent example.

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have criticized Qatar over the treatment of migrant workers ahead of the World Cup, alleging thousands of deaths. Qatari officials, however, maintain that only 37 workers involved in World Cup projects died, with just three deaths attributed to workplace accidents.

Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, president of the Qatar Olympic Committee, emphasized that sports play a key role in Qatar’s national development strategy.

“Currently, 95 percent of the necessary sports infrastructure is already in place, and we have a detailed plan to ensure full readiness of all venues,” he said.

Under current Olympic rules, countries are not required to make their bids public. The Games are typically rotated across continents, and with the 2024, 2028, and 2032 editions awarded to Europe, North America, and Oceania, the 2036 Games are expected to head to Asia—or potentially Africa for the first time.

Selecting the host city for the 2036 Olympics will be the first major undertaking for newly elected International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry, who last month became the first woman to lead the organization.