Doha, 1 January 2024 - Qatar achieved numerous sports successes and accomplishments in 2023, securing many titles and medals in various Arab, Asian, and international competitions across different sports.
Qatari sports continued to excel regionally and globally, thanks to significant support from the wise leadership and the Qatar Olympic Committee to enable Qatar to assume its distinguished position among world nations in the realm of sports.
Following the unparalleled success in hosting and organizing the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 for the first time in the Middle East, Qatari efforts in 2023 continued to stand out in hosting major global events across various sports, securing top positions, and winning medals in numerous championships.
Some of the notable achievements of Qatari sports in 2023 included the Qatari teams winning 22 medals (9 gold, 2 silver, and 11 bronze) in the 15th Arab Games held in Algeria from 5 to 15 July.
Qatari teams also secured 14 medals (5 gold, 6 silver, and 3 bronze) while participating in the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China, from Sept. 23- Oct. 8.
The Qatari Beach Handball team clinched victory in the World Tour Finals by defeating the Brazilian team 2-1 in the final match of the fourth and final phase organized by the Qatar Handball Association at Al Gharafa Beach Courts.
The Qatari swimming team secured the second position in the 6th Arab Championship for the General Category held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from Oct. 27-30, securing a total of 15 medals (5 gold, 6 silver, and 4 bronze).
In volleyball, the Qatari indoor volleyball team participated in the Olympic Games qualifiers held in Brazil in September. Additionally, the Qatari beach volleyball team secured the gold medal in the Asian Games in China. Moreover, the Qatari volleyball team achieved a bronze medal in the Asian Volleyball Championship and a silver medal in the Challenger Cup held in Qatar.
In the Motorsports realm, Lusail International Circuit took the spotlight by hosting two consecutive races in the final calendar of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season. Comprising 19 rounds, the Qatar Grand Prix was held between Nov. 17th and 19th. Qatar also joined the Formula-1 World Championship calendar, with Lusail International Circuit hosting the 18th round of the championship from Oct. 6th to 8th.
Qatari driver Nasser Al Attiyah won three additional titles after winning the opening round of the 2023 season in the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas, the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC), and the FIA Middle East Bajas Cup.
Qatar's snooker player Ali Al Obaidli achieved an unprecedented Qatari achievement after being crowned the title of the IBSF World Men's Snooker Championship after his well-deserved victory over Cheung Ka Wai of Hong Kong 6-1 in the final match.
The Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation hosted nine major world championships in snooker and English billiards in November, attracting more than 200 players representing around 40 countries. It also organized three Asian championships.
At the forefront of Qatar's achievements in 2023 was weightlifter Fares Ibrahim who won a silver medal at the World Weightlifting Championships in Saudi Arabia, two gold medals and a bronze medal in the Qatar Cup Championship and Weightlifting Grand Prix II, respectively, and the fifth global qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
On the other hand, Qatari camels achieved many accomplishments at the local and Gulf-level festivals held throughout 2023, securing top positions in the races. Additionally, the Camel Racing Organizing Committee organized nine local races and three major festivals.
Basketball in Qatar experienced significant growth in 2023, highlighted by winning the hosting rights for the 2027 FIBA World Cup and the launch of the first basketball league for both women and girls.
Qatari equestrian sports have also celebrated numerous achievements internationally after Qatari horses won prestigious races in Europe throughout 2023. The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club organized more than 56 local races, the most prominent of which is the HH The Amir Sword Festival 2023. The federation also organized the HH the Amir's Sword Showjumping and Dressage Championship. Through Al Shaqab, a member of the Qatar Foundation, Qatari horses achieved many accomplishments at global horse championships. In December, Qatar hosted the first-ever World Arabian Horse Championship.
The Qatari Olympic team reached the quarter-finals of the football competition in the 19th Asian Games, hosted by China's Hangzhou last October, where it lost to its Chinese counterpart by a goal.
The Qatari Olympic team also participated in the qualifiers for the 2024 AFC U-23 Football Cup finals, which Qatar will host from April 15 to May 3, 2024. It also serves as a qualifier for the football competition at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The Qatari team participated in the qualifiers, which took place in Gyeongsang Province in South Korea, without counting the results, after securing qualification to the finals as the host of the tournament.
The Qatari team topped the second group with 9 points, beating Kyrgyzstan (1-0), both the South Korean teams (host of the group) and the 2020 champions with a score of 2-0, and Myanmar (6-0).
The draw for the continental tournament placed the Qatari team at the head of the first group alongside Australia, Jordan and Indonesia. The second group included Japan, South Korea, the UAE and China. The defending champion Saudi Arabia came at the head of the third group alongside Iraq, Thailand and Tajikistan, while the fourth group included Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Kuwait, and Malaysia.
This year also included more achievements and tournaments in the field of golf, as the Qatar Golf Association achieved many accomplishments through the participation of Qatari players in regional and continental tournaments, in addition to hosting the Asian Professional Golf Tour for the first time.
At the Qatari shooting level, the two shooters, Rashid Al Athba and Saeed Abu Shareb, qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics after Al Athba won the bronze medal in the World Shooting Championship (Skeet), which was held in the Croatian city of Osijek in October. Abu Shareb won the silver medal in the dirt competition in the Asian Shooting Championships in Changwon, South Korea.
The Qatar Athletics Federation also won first place as the best organizer of the Diamond League rounds for 2023 out of 14 cities around the world that hosted the current season’s rounds. The distinction of the Doha Diamond League round and its achievement of first place came after it met all the standards for organization and other logistical matters, in addition to the media and public aspects.
The Qatari athletics team won the West Asian Championship for men and women (Qatar 2023), which was held in April on the field and track of the Suheim bin Hamad Stadium at Qatar Club, with the participation of 12 countries from the west of the continent. The Qatari team won (28) medals (13 gold, 8 silver and 7 bronze).
The Qatari athletics team participated in the 25th Asian Championship, which was held in Thailand, finishing fifth in the overall standings, with four medals (2 gold, a silver and a bronze).
The State of Qatar maintained its excellence as the capital of sports, and remained a preferred global destination for organizing sports tournaments in 2023, hosting nearly 81 events, including 14 world championships.
Qatar Volleyball Association organized in January the beach volleyball championship "King of the Court", and then the Elite Finals beach volleyball.
In February, Qatar Volleyball Association organized the Beach Pro Tour, while Qatar Tennis Squash and Badminton Federation organized Qatar ExxonMobil Open and Qatar TotalEnergies Open.
March saw four world championships with Qatar Gymnastics Federation hosting the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup, Qatar Golf Association organizing the 37th edition Qatar Open Golf Amateur Championship, Qatar Shooting and Archery Association hosting the 2023 Archery World Cup, and Qatar Tennis Squash and Badminton Federation hosting the Ooredoo Qatar Major Premier Padel.
Global events continued in May with hosting the 2023 World Judo Championships at Ali bin Hamad Al Attiyah Hall.
Qatar Tennis, Squash and Badminton Federation hosted the QTerminals Qatar Classic 2023 at Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in September; and Qatar Basketball Federation organized the 2023 FISU University World Cup 3×3 Basketball in November.
Qatar also organized 23 international championships on 2023, most notably the Longines Global Champions Tour Championship, the qualifying tournament for the equestrian jumping at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the 28th Qatar World Table Tennis Championship, the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters 2023, and the 2023 FIE Fencing Grand Prix Epee, the Qatar Grand Prix Shotgun 2023, the first FIP Padel, the Diamond League athletics championship, the 3rd Qatar International Taekwondo Open, the Qatar Global Hockey Championship, and the 2023 IWF Weightlifting Grand Prix.
At the Asian level, Qatar organized 17 tournaments, including the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Pre-Qualifiers, the Qatar International Golf Championship (one of the Asian Professional Golf Tour series), the West Asian Athletics Championship, the FIBA U16 Asian Championship, the Asian Rugby Sevens Trophy, the West Asia Squash Championship, the Asian Handball Qualifiers for Paris 2024, and the Asian Padel Championship.
Four tournaments were organized at the Arab level, namely: the Artistic Gymnastics Doha Stars Championship, the Arab Squash Championship (individuals and teams), the Arab Padel Championship, and the Arab Judo Championship.
At the Gulf level, Doha hosted 5 tournaments: the 9th edition of the GCC Sports Tournament for Universities and Higher Education Institutes, the Gulf Squash Championship, the GCC 3×3 Basketball Championship, the Gulf Padel Championship, and the GCC Billiards and Snooker Championship.
