Sports in Qatar

Qatar nationals are passionate about sports. You can choose from a range of exciting sports activities such as football, squash, tennis, auto racing, horse racing, water sports, and much more. If you have children, you will not have to go far to find sporting activities across the city for active youngsters

Major Sporting Events

The ExxonMobil Qatar Men's Open Tennis Tournament is usually held in January and the Women's TOTAL tournament is in February. Both events are a major fixture in the tennis calendar and broadcasted across the world. Some of the world's best players have competed over the years.

The Qatar Masters Golf Tournament is also a significant event in the calendar and attracts some of the world's best golfers. It is usually held in February.

Qatar's Motor Grand Prix is held in March and is the first race in the Moto GP calendar. Fans from all over the world descend on the spectacular Losail race track.

The International Diamond League also hosts a round in Doha every May. Top international athletes compete across a number of disciplines alongside the best local talent.

Good to know:

One of the main sports features in Qatar is Aspire, which is a 240 hectare complex in Al Waab. It has a number of facilities available to the public, as well as special treatment centres for sports injuries and rehabilitation.

Football

Football is very popular in Qatar. The football season usually lasts from October to May. The premier division, the Qatari Stars League, consists of 12 professional teams while the second division involves 6 teams. Tickets are occasionally free or very affordable and special offers for families run throughout the season. Qatar's teams are part of the Asian confederation and also play international games against other club teams in Asia. You can also find national, regional, and local teams which often take part in friendly matches. Many top European teams including Barcelona and Bayern Munich, hold winter training here and have played friendly matches against local teams in the past.

If you are interested in playing football, there are many pitches attached to local schools and facilities throughout the city. If you are interested in participating in a local amateur league, you can register at Q Sports.

Tennis and Squash

There are numerous tennis and squash courts across the city in the major hotels and on the larger compounds. The largest of these is at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash complex, the same venue that hosts the international tournaments mentioned above. You can contact 4440 9666 to book a court but you may need to register beforehand. Details for coaches are also available on request.

Basketball

There are a number of local leagues that can be found via Q Sports. For intensive skills training and coaching for adults and children, you can contact BEbasketball for a range of information and to point you in the right direction.

Golf

The Doha Golf Club is the major golf club in Doha, hosting the international tournament each year. Memberships are available, as well as one-off visitor pass for 18 or 9 holes. It also hosts a driving range and a fully functioning clubhouse and bar.

Watersports

There is no particular season for water sports in Qatar. However, these are more popular from October to March. If you enjoy diving, you can go fishing for pearls in Qatar's abundant lagoons. You can also take part in many other activities such as swimming, sailing, jet skiing, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, and dragon boating. These are available via hotels and can also be found via Facebook and Meetup groups.

Racing

As regards racing, different types of races are practised in Qatar, namely, horse racing, camel racing, motorcycle racing, etc. Indeed, Qatari nationals are very keen about racing, especially those of horses and camels as they are usually very involved in breeding. The racing season lasts from October to May and is particularly dominated by the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club. Camel racing, on the other hand, is especially popular among the Sheikhs. Major events are held in March and April.

Adventure Sports

If you are looking forward to more excitement, you can slide down the desert dunes, go sand skiing or sand boarding. Otherwise, you can enjoy car races, including the Arabian Drag Racing League which is held in Qatar with 11 different classes, namely Pro Extreme Motorcycle, Pro Nitrous, Extreme Pro, among others.

Rugby

The Doha Rugby Club, as well as being a sociable hang out for expats, also hosts training and matches for children and adults. It also hosts a number of fitness classes, including Crossfit.

Fitness classes

There is a huge demand for fitness classes across Doha and classes can be found for crossfit, boxing, yoga, spinning, pilates, and many more. These can be found via individual gyms in Doha, as well as Facebook and Meetup groups.

Useful links:

Qatar Tourism
MeetUp (to find sporting groups and partners)
Qsports (for registering in local leagues)