Dr. Sarah Muhanna Al-Naimi
When the final whistle echoed through Lusail Stadium on 18 December 2022, it marked the conclusion of an extraordinary sporting event: the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. For some observers, the tournament represented the culmination of Qatar’s sport diplomacy. I recall a conversation with an academic colleague who suggested precisely this, describing the World Cup as the final destination of Qatar’s sporting ambitions.
Yet, was the tournament truly an endpoint, or did it signal the beginning of a new chapter?
I would argue that the World Cup represented a transformative milestone in Qatar’s evolving sport diplomacy, characterised by expanding international engagement, institutional development, and growing opportunities for Qatari women to shape the country’s sporting and diplomatic landscape.
The contributions of women from Qatar’s ruling family illustrate this continuity. While H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser played a prominent role in Qatar’s successful bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games provided another platform for this evolving diplomacy. Under the leadership of H E Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, cultural diplomacy intersected with sport diplomacy through exhibitions including Esports: A Game Changer and Olympism: More than a Dream.
Staged in Paris, these exhibitions showcased Qatar’s sporting heritage while contributing to international conversations about sport, culture, and identity. They also echoed H E Sheikha Al-Mayassa’s articulation of Qatar’s Olympic ambitions during the opening of the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum in 2022.
Beyond cultural representation, this evolving trajectory is also evident in women’s sporting participation. At the Aichi–Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson of Qatar Foundation and a member of the Qatar Olympic Committee’s Board of Directors, personally engaged with Qatari female athletes. Her presence reflected institutional recognition of women’s participation on a continental stage. It also highlighted the significance of sporting experiences beyond numerical representation and competitive achievements, contributing to an intergenerational legacy of participation and inspiration.
This human dimension is equally evident in Qatar’s aspirations to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The appointment of Sheikha Hind as Vice Chairperson of the Bid Committee and Fatima Sultan Al Kuwari as its Chief Executive Officer illustrates Qatari women’s expanding involvement in strategic sporting leadership.
Consistent with Qatar National Vision 2030, these developments demonstrate that the legacy of the 2022 FIFA World Cup extends beyond world-class stadiums and infrastructure to encompass institutional capacity, women’s leadership, and international engagement.
Ultimately, the final whistle at Lusail marked not the conclusion of Qatar’s sport diplomacy, but the beginning of another chapter in its continuing evolution.
- Dr. Sarah Muhanna Al-Naimi is a Qatari researcher specialising in international relations, sport diplomacy, and Qatar’s foreign policy.
Dr. Sarah Muhanna Al-Naimi is a Qatari researcher specialising in international relations, sport diplomacy, and Qatar’s foreign policy.
