Qatari Sports Continue Asian Dominance, Doha Sets a New Benchmark for Hosting Major Events

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December 31, 2024
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31-December-2024

Qatari Sports Continue Asian Dominance, Doha Sets a New Benchmark for Hosting Major Events

Doha: Qatari sports reaffirmed their dominance in 2024, achieving outstanding success across Arab, Asian, and international arenas. This continued excellence reflects the steadfast support of the nation's wise leadership and the Qatar Olympic Committee, cementing Qatar's reputation as a global sports leader.  
 National teams, clubs, and sports leaders continued to achieve remarkable accomplishments regionally, continentally, and internationally in 2024, ensuring Qatar's victorious sports journey soars to new heights of global glory.  
Beyond the 85 events hosted by the Qatar Olympic Committee and sports federations in 2024 --including 15 world championships but the most significant continental highlight was Qatar's national football team winning the AFC Asian Cup. They defeated Jordan 3-1 in the final held at the Lusail Stadium, the iconic venue of the World Cup. 
 This victory marked Qatar's second consecutive Asian Cup title, having previously won in 2019 in the United Arab Emirates. This achievement made Qatar the first team since Japan in 2000 and 2004 to win back-to-back Asian Cups. 
 Star player Akram Afif claimed both the Best Player and Top Scorer awards, netting eight goals, while goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham earned the Golden Glove as the tournament's best keeper. 
 Qatar's national team remained undefeated in their second consecutive Asian Cup campaign, winning all their matches in the 2023 tournament, including a penalty shootout victory against Uzbekistan in the quarterfinals. This extended their unbeaten streak in the Asian Cup to 14 matches, following seven consecutive wins in the 2019 edition. 
 For the second time in a row, a Spanish coach led Qatar to continental glory. Marquez Lopez guided the team to victory in the 2023 Asian Cup, following in the footsteps of his compatriot Felix Sanchez, who coached Qatar to the title in 2019. 
 Qatar joined the list of nations that have won the Asian Cup as hosts, alongside South Korea (1960), Iran (1968, 1976), Kuwait (1980), Japan (1992), and Australia (2015).
 Qatar also climbed the rankings of the most successful teams in Asian Cup history, tying with South Korea for fourth place with two titles each. Japan leads with four titles, followed by Saudi Arabia and Iran with three each, while Kuwait, Iraq, and Australia have each won once.  
In another milestone, Akram Afif was named Asia's Best Player by the Asian Football Confederation during an awards ceremony in Seoul, South Korea. Afif triumphed over Jordan's Yazan Al-Naimat and South Korea's Seol Young-woo to claim the honor. 
 Afif became the 26th player to win the award since its inception in 1994 and the first Qatari to win it twice, having previously received it in 2019. He is now the third player to win the award multiple times, joining Japan's Hidetoshi Nakata (1997, 1998) and Uzbekistan's Server Djeparov (2008, 2011).
  In another milestone for football, FIFA has granted Qatar the rights to host the next five editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, beginning in 2025. This decision follows FIFA's move to expand the tournament to 48 teams and shift it to an annual event instead of biennial. The next five editions will be held in Doha, Qatar, starting next year. 
 In November, Qatar hosted the 10th edition of the Aspire Global Summit on Football Performance and Science, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the Aspire Academy's founding. The summit featured discussions on key sports topics, with technical officials from global clubs and representatives of top European clubs engaging in dialogues on various aspects of football.  
On December 17, Doha hosted FIFA's annual awards ceremony at the Aspire Academy, marking its 20th anniversary. Brazilian star Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team was crowned "The Best" FIFA Men's Player of 2024. Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, manager of Real Madrid, won the FIFA Best Men's Coach award for 2024. Argentina's Emiliano Martinez claimed the Best Goalkeeper award, while Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United won the Puskas Award for the best goal of the year.  
On December 18, Doha, the global sports capital, hosted the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2024. Real Madrid emerged victorious, defeating Mexico's Pachuca 3-0 in the final at Lusail Stadium, which saw an attendance of over 67,000 fans.  
In May, Doha hosted the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, where Japan's Olympic team clinched their second title in history, defeating Uzbekistan 1-0 at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. Qatar's national team reached the quarterfinals but was eliminated by Japan in a 4-2 defeat. 
 This marked the second time Qatar hosted the tournament, following the 2016 edition, which served as a qualifier for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Qatar continues to lead in hosting major football events globally and continentally, leveraging exceptional expertise gained from the successful organization of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the AFC Asian Cup 2023. 
 The tournament's matches were held across four stadiums: Al Janoub Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, and Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium.   
In athletics, Qatar achieved a historic Olympic milestone as high jump champion Mutaz Barshim claimed his fourth Olympic medal. Barshim won the bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, adding to his impressive collection, which includes silver medals from London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016, a gold medal from Tokyo 2020, and now bronze from Paris 2024. Barshim has become the first Qatari athlete in history to win four Olympic medals, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest high jumpers of all time.  
Barshim opened the 2024 season by winning the Gravity Challenge, held for the first time in Qatar. The event featured the world's top high jumpers, including Cuban legend Javier Sotomayor, the world record holder, who attended the competition at Katara.  
Qatari athletics also saw significant success at regional youth and junior championships. The junior team secured sixth place with six medals (two gold, two silver, and two bronze) at the Arab Championships held in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the under-23 team finished fourth at the Arab Championships in Egypt, which featured 13 Arab nations in May. 
 Qatari driver Nasser Al Attiyah clinched the 2024 World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) title for the third consecutive year. Fellow Qatari driver Abdulaziz Al Kuwari also triumphed, winning the 44th Middle East Rally Championship for the 2024 season after topping the overall drivers' standings.  
Doha hosted several international motorsport events, including a round of the MotoGP World Championship in January, the "Qatar 1812 km" endurance race as part of the World Endurance Championship in January, the Qatar Grand Prix as part of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship in November, and the North Africa and Middle East Nations Karting Cup in December. 
 In snooker, the Asian Confederation of Billiard Sports (ACBS) unanimously re-elected Mohammed Salem Al Nuaimi, Secretary-General of the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation, as its president for a third term, extending his leadership until 2027. In November 2024, the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) also re-elected Mubarak Al Khayarin, Executive Director of the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation, as its president by acclamation for a third term, lasting until 2028. 
 Doha hosted world championships in snooker for masters, men, and women, as well as the World Billiards Championship for men and the Asian Billiards Championship, featuring top-ranked players from around the globe.  
The General Assembly of the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) re-elected Abdulrahman Al Mannai, President of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation and the Lusail International Circuit, to its board of directors for another four-year term. 
 Weightlifter Fares Ibrahim won two silver medals in the 102 kg category at the World Weightlifting Championships in Bahrain. He claimed silver in the total lift with 339 kg and in the clean and jerk with 225 kg. 
 Doha also hosted international, Asian, and Arab weightlifting championships in December, featuring top male and female lifters. These included the 2024 Qatar International Cup, the Asian Junior Championships, and the Arab Championships for men and women. 
 Fares Ibrahim was crowned the best lifter at the conclusion of the Qatar International Cup and the Arab Weightlifting Championships, which were held concurrently by the Qatar Weightlifting Federation. The events saw participation from 163 competitors -- 98 men and 65 women -- representing 29 countries. 
Ibrahim dominated the 102 kg category, winning six gold medals across both championships. 
 In the realm of heritage sports, the Qatar Camel Mzayen Club organized several festivals in 2024, including the third edition of the Qatar Camel Festival "Jazeelat Al Ata," the inaugural edition of the Challenge Festival for Mafarid "Mukhalafat Al Haqawi," and the first edition of the Al Wajbah Camel Festival "Hana Janbaha." Additionally, the Camel Racing Committee hosted the annual Founder's Festival for Purebred Arabian Camels in 2024.  
In table tennis, President of the Qatar Table Tennis Association, Khalil Al Mohannadi, was unanimously re-elected as President of the Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) for the 2025–2028 term during elections held in Astana, Kazakhstan, on the sidelines of the 27th Asian Table Tennis Championships. 

Al Mohannadi first assumed the presidency of the ATTU in October 2021 during the General Assembly held in Doha alongside the Asian Men's and Women's Championships at Lusail Hall. 
 Al Mohannadi is the first Qatari and Arab to lead the ATTU since its establishment in 1972 and the sixth president in the union's history.  
Secretary-General of the Qatar Archery and Shooting Federation, Jassim Shaheen Al Sulaiti, was elected Vice President of the Arab Archery Federation for the 2024–2028 term during the General Assembly held in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, on the sidelines of the Arab Archery Championships.  
Qatar's Al Ramii SC won nine medals (two gold, three silver, and four bronze) at the 53rd National Day Shooting Championship in Sharjah. Meanwhile, Qatari shooters claimed five medals (one gold, one silver, and three bronze) at the Arab Shotgun Championship in Kuwait, which featured 15 Gulf and Arab nations. 
 Qatar's archers also secured seven medals (one gold, one silver, and five bronze) at the inaugural West Asian Archery Championships in Buraydah, Saudi Arabia, with participation from 10 countries. 
Additionally, the Qatari team won seven medals at the Asian Clay Shooting Cup in Kazakhstan. 
 At the World Shooting Championships in Italy, Qatari shooter Rashid Saleh Al Athba won the bronze medal in the skeet event. The Qatari duo of Rashid Al Athba and Reem Al Sharshani claimed the gold medal in the mixed skeet event at the World Cup for Pistol, Rifle, and Shotgun held at the Egypt International Olympic City in Cairo. Reem Al Sharshani also won the bronze medal in the women's skeet event. 
 The Qatari national volleyball team won the Asian Volleyball Challenge Cup in Bahrain, securing qualification for the Volleyball Challenger Cup for the second time in their history. Qatar defeated Pakistan in straight sets to claim the title. 
 In beach volleyball, the Qatari national team won the bronze medal at the finals of the global professional beach volleyball tour organized by the Aspire Zone Foundation under the auspices of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) in collaboration with the Qatar Volleyball Association.  
In handball, Al Rayyan clinched the Gulf Handball Clubs Championship for the third time in its history, defeating Kuwait's Al Kuwait SC 33–32 in a thrilling final held in Doha. Al Arabi secured third place by defeating Bahrain's Al Dair SC 27–23 in the playoff match. This marks the eighth title for Qatari clubs in the Gulf Championship's 40-year history, with Al Sadd winning three times (2004, 2014, 2015), Al Rayyan twice (2012, 2016), Al Ahli once (2000), and Al Gharafa once (2017).

The Qatari national handball team also triumphed at the 21st Asian Men's Handball Championship held in Bahrain in January, securing qualification for the 2025 World Championship in Croatia, Denmark, and Norway. Qatar defeated Japan 30–24 in the final, claiming their sixth consecutive Asian title an unprecedented achievement. This will be Qatar's tenth appearance at the World Championship, having previously competed in 2003 (Portugal), 2005 (Tunisia), 2007 (Germany), 2013 (Spain), 2015 (Qatar), 2017 (France), 2019 (Germany/Denmark), 2021 (Egypt), and 2023 (Poland/Sweden).  
In beach handball, the Qatari national team won the bronze medal at the final stage of the 2024 Beach Handball World Tour hosted by Qatar, defeating Germany 2–1 in the third-place playoff. 
 Regarding tennis and squash achievements, the Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2024 was named the best ATP 250 tournament for the sixth time, reflecting its prestigious status and consistent success over the years. The tournament received this honor in 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2022. Russian player Karen Khachanov won the singles title, while the British-New Zealand duo of Jamie Murray and Michael Venus claimed the doubles title.  Next year, the Qatar ExxonMobil Open will be upgraded to an ATP 500 event for the first time in over three decades. The 2025 tournament is scheduled for February 17–22 at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, featuring top players from around the world.  
The Qatar TotalEnergies Open 2024, held in February, continued its success as one of the top WTA 1000 tournaments globally. Polish star Iga Swiatek won the title for the third consecutive year, defeating Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina in the final.  
Qatar also hosted the 2024 Padel World Championship in November, delivering what was described as the best edition in the tournament's history. Argentina won the men's title, while Spain claimed the women's title. This marked Qatar's second time hosting the event, following the 2021 edition, and was praised for its exceptional organization. 
 Qatari squash player Abdullah Al Tamimi made history by winning the Cape Town Squash Championship in South Africa in November. Al Tamimi defeated Britain's Declan James in straight sets (15–13, 11–5, 11–6) to claim his 11th Professional Squash Association (PSA) title. 
 In gymnastics, Ali Al Hitmi was re-elected as First Vice President of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) during the 85th FIG Congress held in Doha. The event, hosted by the Qatar Olympic Committee at the Sheraton Doha Hotel with the participation of 157 countries, saw the re-election of Japan's Morinari Watanabe as FIG President. 
 Qatari teams also excelled at the inaugural Gulf Youth Games held in the UAE from April 16 to 30, winning a total of 82 medals.
 In 2024, Qatar hosted a total of 85 sporting events, including 15 world championships, solidifying its position as a global hub for major sports competitions. The year began with the World Aquatics Championships, held from February 2 to 18, followed by the Aquatics Masters Championships from February 23 to March 3 at the Hamad Aquatic Centre, Aspire Dome, and the Old Doha Port.