Asian Games: Qatar to host 2030 edition, Saudi Arabia gets 2034 edition

The Olympic Council of Asia announced on December 16, 2020, that Doha, the Capital of Qatar, will be hosting the 2030 Asian Games while the 2034 edition of the games will be hosted by Riyadh, Capital of Saudi Arabia.

Qatar has beaten Saudi Arabia for the 2030 games in the vote at the general assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia which was held online in Muscat, Oman on December 15.

The vote took place amid a political dispute between the two nations as Saudi Arabia is one of the four countries that has imposed trade and travel ban on Qatar since 2017.

However, the OCA had reached the deal to vote on the host of the 2030 Asian Games but decided to give the other candidate the 2034 edition.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, OCA President, stated the OCA’s return to Muscat has brought back happy memories of the Asian Beach Games which was hosted by Muscat in 2010.

𝟐𝟎𝟑𝟎 Asian Games - Doha, Qatar 🇶🇦
𝟐𝟎𝟑𝟒 Asian Games - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦

Our heartiest congratulations to both countries & their Olympic committees on being the host nation of the 21st & 22nd Asian Games. 👏#AsianGames #AsianGames2030 #Doha2030 #Riyadh2034 pic.twitter.com/yusX85ODkz

— Olympic Council of Asia (@AsianGamesOCA) December 16, 2020

Other events to be hosted by Qatar:

• Qatar will also be hosting the Arab Cup Tournament, a football competition between the Arab nations, which will feature 22 teams in December 2021.

• FIFA in November 2020 had announced that Comoros, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Djibouti, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Libya, Mauritania, Palestine, Oman, Sudan, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates.

• Doha will also be hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Arab Cup will act as a dress rehearsal for the main event.

OCA brings technology to its General Assembly:

The President of the Olympics Council of Asia while thanking everyone for attending the voting digitally stated that OCA has broken the ice.

He added that it brought a new example in the Olympic movement for conducting the General Assembly by hosting the meeting in the hall with technology.

The President, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, also thanked everyone for their cooperation, unity, and understanding.