football in Qatar

{{Infobox sport overview

| boxwidth = 250

| title = Football in Qatar

| image = AFC Champions League Final 2020, 19 December 2020, Persepolis vs Ulsan Hyundai (1-2) (74).jpg

| imagesize = 240px

| image_alt =

| caption = Al Janoub Stadium hosted the 2020 AFC Champions League final. Part of Qatar's plan to demonstrate its ability to host international football matches.

| union = Qatar Football Association (QFA)

| country = Qatar

| sport = football

| noncountry =

| teamlabel1 =

| nationalteam = Qatar

| teamlabel2 =

| repteam =

| nickname =

| first = {{start date and age|1948}}

| registered =

| clubs = 20

| national_list = FIFA World Cup
AFC Cup
AFC Asian Cup
AFC Champions League

| club_list =

{{Collapsible list|

League:
Qatar Stars League
Qatari Second Division
Cups:
Qatar Cup
Qatar FA Cup
Qatari Stars Cup
Emir of Qatar Cup
Sheikh Jassim Cup

}}

| intl_list = FIFA Club World Cup

| match =

| league =

}}

Football is the most popular sport in Qatar.{{cite news |last=Atkinson |first=Simon |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-20981704 |title=Qatar turns to football for fame and fans |publisher=BBC News |date=11 January 2013 |access-date=2 December 2013 |archive-date=23 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123083831/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20981704 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://www.gulfnews.com/sport/football/qatar-hopes-to-inspire-more-youngsters-to-play-football-1.808158 |title=Qatar hopes to inspire more youngsters to play football |website=GulfNews |access-date=2 December 2013 |archive-date=4 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904225651/https://m.gulfnews.com/sport/football/qatar-hopes-to-inspire-more-youngsters-to-play-football-1.808158 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/5933045/how-qatar-became-player-world-soccer |title=How Qatar became a player in world soccer |publisher=ESPN |date=23 December 2010 |access-date=2 December 2013 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305064728/http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/5933045/how-qatar-became-player-world-soccer |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Blickenstaff |first=Brian |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2011/09/qatars_football_dreams.html |title=Qatar Football Dreams: Is it a humanitarian project or a scheme to buy Africa's best players? |website=Slate |date=14 September 2011 |access-date=2 December 2013 |archive-date=28 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928084001/http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2011/09/qatars_football_dreams.html |url-status=live }} Football in Qatar is organized by the Qatar Football Association (QFA).{{cite web |author=Glenn Moore |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/qatar-targets-historic-feats-on-the-pitch-too-8546598.html |title=Qatar targets historic feats on the pitch too – World Cup 2014 – Football |work=The Independent |date=22 March 2013 |access-date=2 December 2013 |archive-date=4 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904160827/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/qatar-targets-historic-feats-on-the-pitch-too-8546598.html |url-status=live }}

Qatar hosted the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, 2021 FIFA Arab Cup,{{cite news | url=https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/2021-fifa-arab-cup-qatar-all-you-need-to-know/blta3bed73f82f8fd58 | title=2021 FIFA Arab Cup: Participating teams, fixtures and all you need to know | date=18 December 2021 | access-date=21 October 2022 | archive-date=16 March 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316154652/https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/2021-fifa-arab-cup-qatar-all-you-need-to-know/blta3bed73f82f8fd58 | url-status=live }} 2022 FIFA World Cup,{{cite news |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/qatar2022/news/fifa-executive-committee-confirms-november-december-event-period-for-q-2567789 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619090008/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/qatar2022/news/fifa-executive-committee-confirms-november-december-event-period-for-q-2567789 |archive-date=2019-06-19 | title=FIFA Executive Committee confirms November/December event period for Qatar 2022| date=19 March 2015 | accessdate=20 October 2022}} 2023 AFC Asian Cup, and the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.{{cite web | url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/qatar-host-2023-asian-cup-asian-football-confederation-2022-10-17/ | title=Qatar to host 2023 Aisan Cup – Asian Football Confederation | website=Reuters | date=17 October 2022 | accessdate=20 October 2022 | archive-date=26 October 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026074816/https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/qatar-host-2023-asian-cup-asian-football-confederation-2022-10-17/ | url-status=live }}{{cite news| url=https://www.barrons.com/news/qatar-to-host-2023-asian-cup-football-afc-01665985809?refsec=topics_afp-news| title=Qatar To Host 2023 Asian Cup Football: AFC| date=17 October 2022| access-date=20 October 2022| archive-date=20 October 2022| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020213454/https://www.barrons.com/news/qatar-to-host-2023-asian-cup-football-afc-01665985809?refsec=topics_afp-news| url-status=live}}

History

Football was introduced to the country in 1948 when oil workers organized a match among themselves.{{cite web | url=http://sc.qa/en/qatar/football | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206084225/http://sc.qa/en/qatar/football | url-status=dead | archive-date=2015-02-06 | title=Football | date= | accessdate=2021-09-24}} The first football club was established in 1950 under the name 'Al-Najah', which went on to form Al Ahli. This was followed by the organization of the first football tournament in 1951 called 'Izz al-Din Championship' by the Qatar Oil Company. In the late 1950s, the name was changed to 'Pukett Cup'.

The QFA was formed in 1960 and the first league season was launched in 1963–64. League matches were played in Doha Sports Stadium, which accommodated the first grass football pitch in the region.{{cite web|url=http://www.sc.qa/en/qatar/football|title=History of football in Qatar|publisher=sc.qa|access-date=4 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206084225/http://sc.qa/en/qatar/football|archive-date=6 February 2015|url-status=dead}}

Spectatorship

In a 2014 survey conducted by Qatari government ministries and departments, 65% of the 1,079 respondents indicated that they did not attend a football match in the previous league season.{{cite web|url=http://www.qatarisbooming.com/article/audience-are-reluctant-attend-football-matches-stadiums|title=The audience are reluctant to attend football matches at stadiums|website=qatarisbooming.com|date=25 January 2014|access-date=1 October 2015|archive-date=2 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002042057/http://www.qatarisbooming.com/article/audience-are-reluctant-attend-football-matches-stadiums|url-status=dead}} Lack of time, unsuitable atmospheres for females and the presence of paid fans were all major factors for not attending. The highest deterrent was climate, which was cited by seventy-three percent respondents as impacting their decision to attend a football match.{{cite web|url=http://qatarsportstanmiya.org/why-people-do-not-attend-football-matches-in-qatar/|title=Why People Do Not Attend Football Matches in Qatar|publisher=Qatar Sports Tanmiya|author=Amna Nasralla|date=11 February 2015|access-date=1 October 2015|archive-date=16 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116141846/http://qatarsportstanmiya.org/why-people-do-not-attend-football-matches-in-qatar/|url-status=dead}}

As an initiative to gauge public opinion and increase local participation in sports with an emphasis on football, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) launched the Jeeran program in April 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.gulf-times.com/Mobile/Qatar/178/details/436165/SC-promotes-engagement-plan-at-stadium-launch|title=SC promotes engagement plan at stadium launch|publisher=Gulf Times|date=23 April 2015|access-date=1 October 2015|archive-date=3 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003060104/http://www.gulf-times.com/Mobile/Qatar/178/details/436165/SC-promotes-engagement-plan-at-stadium-launch|url-status=live}} The program involves seeking the opinion and advice of people in majlises, as well as encouraging large-scale community involvement, particularly by women.{{cite web|url=http://qatarsportstanmiya.org/breaking-barriers/|title=Breaking Barriers|publisher=Qatar Sports Tanmiya|author=Sara Al-Thani|date=11 February 2015|access-date=1 October 2015|archive-date=1 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901234552/http://qatarsportstanmiya.org/breaking-barriers/|url-status=dead}}

Most successful teams

class="wikitable" style="text-align:Center;"
width=5%\|Team !width=5%\|Total number of trophies !width=10%\|Qatar Stars League winners !width=10%\|Emir Cup winners !width=10%\|Qatar Cup winners !width=10%\|Sheikh Jassem Cup winners !width=10%\|Qatari Stars Cup winners !width=10%\|Qatar FA Cup winners
align=left\|Al-Sadd \|59 \|16 (1972, 1974, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1987, 1988, 1989, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2019, 2021, 2022) \|18 (1975, 1977, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2021) \|8 (1998, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2017, 2020, 2021) \|15 (1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2014, 2017, 2019) \|2 (2010, 2020) \|
align=left\|Qatar SC \|24 \|8 (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1977, 2003) \|8 (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976) \|3 (2002, 2004, 2009) \|4 (1983, 1984, 1987, 1995) \|1 (2014) \|
align=left\|Al-Rayyan \|23 \|8 (1976, 1978, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1995, 2016) \|6 (1999, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2013) \|4 (1995, 1996, 2001, 2012) \|5 (1992, 2000, 2012, 2013, 2018) \| \|
align=left\|Al-Arabi \|24 \|7 (1983, 1985, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997) \|9 (1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1990, 1993, 2023) \|1 (1997) \|6 (1980, 1982, 1994, 2008, 2010, 2011) \| \|1 (2022)
align=left\|Al-Gharafa \|23 \|7 (1992, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010) \|8 (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2009, 2012, 2025) \|3 (2000, 2010, 2011) \|2 (2005, 2007) \|3 (2009, 2018, 2019) \|
align=left\|Al-Duhail \|19 \|8 (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023) \|4 (2016, 2018, 2019, 2022) \|4 (2013, 2015, 2018, 2023) \|2 (2015, 2016) \|1 (2023) \|
align=left\|Al-Wakrah \|8 \|2 (1999, 2001) \| \|1 (1999) \|4 (1989, 1991, 1998, 2004) \|1 (2012) \|
align=left\|Al-Ahli (Doha) \|4 \| \|4 (1973, 1981, 1987, 1992) \| \| \| \|
align=left\|Al-Maref \|3 \|3 (1964, 1965, 1966) \| \| \| \| \|
align=left\|El-Jaish \|3 \| \| \|2 (2014, 2016) \| \|1 (2013) \|
align=left\|Al-Khor \|2 \| \| \|1 (2005) \|1 (2002) \| \|
align=left\|Umm-Salal \|2 \| \|1 (2008) \| \|1 (2009) \| \|
align=left\|Al-Sailiya \|2 \| \| \| \| \|1 (2021) \|1 (2021)
align=left\|Al-Muaither \|1 \| \| \| \|1 (2003) \| \|
align=left\|Al-Shamal \|1 \| \| \| \|1 (1996) \| \|

class="wikitable" style="text-align:Center;"

width=5%|Team

!width=5%|Total number of trophies

!width=10%|Qatar Stars League winners

!width=10%|Emir Cup winners

!width=10%|Qatar Cup winners

!width=10%|Sheikh Jassem Cup winners

!width=10%|Qatari Stars Cup winners

!width=10%|Qatar FA Cup winners

align=left|Al-Sadd

|59

|16 (1972, 1974, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1987, 1988, 1989, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2019, 2021, 2022)

|18 (1975, 1977, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2021)

|8 (1998, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2017, 2020, 2021)

|15 (1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2014, 2017, 2019)

|2 (2010, 2020)

align=left|Qatar SC

|24

|8 (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1977, 2003)

|8 (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976)

|3 (2002, 2004, 2009)

|4 (1983, 1984, 1987, 1995)

|1 (2014)

align=left|Al-Rayyan

|23

|8 (1976, 1978, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1995, 2016)

|6 (1999, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2013)

|4 (1995, 1996, 2001, 2012)

|5 (1992, 2000, 2012, 2013, 2018)

align=left|Al-Arabi

|24

|7 (1983, 1985, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997)

|9 (1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1990, 1993, 2023)

|1 (1997)

|6 (1980, 1982, 1994, 2008, 2010, 2011)

|1 (2022)

align=left|Al-Gharafa

|23

|7 (1992, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010)

|8 (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2009, 2012, 2025)

|3 (2000, 2010, 2011)

|2 (2005, 2007)

|3 (2009, 2018, 2019)

align=left|Al-Duhail

|19

|8 (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023)

|4 (2016, 2018, 2019, 2022)

|4 (2013, 2015, 2018, 2023)

|2 (2015, 2016)

|1 (2023)

align=left|Al-Wakrah

|2 (1999, 2001)

|1 (1999)

|4 (1989, 1991, 1998, 2004)

|1 (2012)

align=left|Al-Ahli (Doha)

|4 (1973, 1981, 1987, 1992)

align=left|Al-Maref

|3 (1964, 1965, 1966)

align=left|El-Jaish

|2 (2014, 2016)

|1 (2013)

align=left|Al-Khor

|1 (2005)

|1 (2002)

align=left|Umm-Salal

|1 (2008)

|1 (2009)

align=left|Al-Sailiya

|1 (2021)

align=left|Al-Muaither

|1 (2003)

align=left|Al-Shamal

|1 (1996)

National team

File:Qatar national football team.jpg in 2011.]]

The Qatar national team has had limited international success and has often been accused of abusing naturalisation laws to acquire players.{{cite web |url=http://espnfc.com/print?id=293645&type=story |title=Qatar naturalisation plans annoy Blatter |website=ESPN FC |date=8 March 2004 |access-date=2 December 2013 |archive-date=31 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231215503/http://espnfc.com/print?id=293645&type=story |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Sports/Story/A1Story20110121-259572.html |title=Qatar enjoy fruits of imported foreign talent |publisher=Asia One |date=21 January 2011 |access-date=2 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904153921/http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Sports/Story/A1Story20110121-259572.html |archive-date=4 September 2018 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/football/01/19/football.nation/ |title=The football 'invaders from Brazil' |publisher=CNN |date=19 January 2009 |access-date=2 December 2013 |archive-date=4 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904154111/http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/football/01/19/football.nation/ |url-status=live }} However, they did win the Arabian Gulf Cup three times and won back-to-back AFC Asian Cup titles in 2019 and 2023.{{cite news|url=http://www.the-afc.com/asiancup/news/qatar-clinch-historic-title|title=Qatar clinch historic title|date=1 February 2019|access-date=2 February 2019|publisher=Asian Football Confederation|archive-date=17 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517044545/http://www.the-afc.com/asiancup/news/qatar-clinch-historic-title|url-status=live}} The side also participated in the 2022 FIFA World Cup as hosts.{{cite web | url=https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/here-are-32-teams-2022-fifa-world-cup | title=Here are the 32 teams in the 2022 FIFA World Cup | date=14 June 2022 | accessdate=19 December 2022 | archive-date=20 December 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220072012/https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/here-are-32-teams-2022-fifa-world-cup | url-status=live }}

=Women's national team=

FIFA World Cup

In 2010, Qatar won the bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, becoming the first Arab country to host the tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/qatar2022/news/fifa-executive-committee-confirms-november-december-event-period-for-q-2567789|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619090008/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/qatar2022/news/fifa-executive-committee-confirms-november-december-event-period-for-q-2567789|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 19, 2019|title=FIFA Executive Committee confirms November/December event period for Qatar 2022|access-date=19 March 2015|publisher=FIFA}}{{cite web | url=https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/11/18/qatar-2022-world-cup-football-colonial | title=The Qatar World Cup is about to shatter colonial myths | access-date=2023-05-03 | archive-date=2023-03-30 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330172320/https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/11/18/qatar-2022-world-cup-football-colonial | url-status=live }} Following a controversy over bidding, a report by FIFA cleared Qatar’s name from all allegations.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/30031405|title=World Cup inquiry clears Qatar but criticises English FA|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=13 November 2014|archive-date=27 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127235141/http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/30031405|url-status=live}}

In June 2019, the FIFA Council announced Qatar as the host of 2019 FIFA Club World Cup and 2020 FIFA Club World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/who-we-are/news/fifa-council-appoints-qatar-as-host-of-the-fifa-club-world-cup-in-2019-and-2020|title=FIFA Council appoints Qatar as host of the FIFA Club World Cup in 2019 and 2020|access-date=3 June 2019|publisher=FIFA|archive-date=3 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603160422/https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/who-we-are/news/fifa-council-appoints-qatar-as-host-of-the-fifa-club-world-cup-in-2019-and-2020|url-status=live}}

In March 2022, FIFA president Gianni Infantino claimed in an interview that the gulf nation is being progressive in terms of its labor rights & migrant rights issues that prevailed in the nation previously by adding "I am pleased to see the strong commitment from the Qatari authorities to ensure the reforms are fully implemented across the labour market, leaving a lasting legacy of the FIFA World Cup long after the event, and benefiting migrant workers in the host country in the long term."{{cite web | url=https://dohanews.co/fifa-president-pleased-with-progress-in-qatars-labour-reforms/ | title=FIFA President 'pleased' with progress in Qatar's labour reforms | date=2022-03-17 | accessdate=2022-09-15 | archive-date=2022-09-20 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920163500/https://dohanews.co/fifa-president-pleased-with-progress-in-qatars-labour-reforms/ | url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/president/media-releases/fifa-president-and-qatar-minister-of-labour-meet-to-discuss-progress-of | title=FIFA President and Qatar Minister of Labour meet to discuss progress of labour rights | date=2022-03-15 | accessdate=2022-09-15 | archive-date=2022-09-20 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920170656/https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/president/media-releases/fifa-president-and-qatar-minister-of-labour-meet-to-discuss-progress-of | url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=https://apnews.com/article/business-sports-soccer-international-soccer-middle-east-8489f339b6d7ae2daa7624e42b9ed7ae | title=Infantino: Qatar 'not paradise' but World Cup seeing changes | website=Associated Press | date=2022-03-29 | accessdate=2022-09-16 | archive-date=2023-01-18 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230118172459/https://apnews.com/article/business-sports-soccer-international-soccer-middle-east-8489f339b6d7ae2daa7624e42b9ed7ae | url-status=live }}

On 11 August 2022, FIFA officially moved up the opening match of the World Cup by one day to 20 November, in an unusual change for hosts Qatar to appear in the gala game.{{cite news |title=FIFA advances World Cup by a day for Qatar |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2370769/fifa-advances-world-cup-by-a-day-for-qatar |date=12 August 2022 |agency=AFP |via=Express Tribune |access-date=24 October 2022 |archive-date=6 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206114441/https://tribune.com.pk/story/2370769/fifa-advances-world-cup-by-a-day-for-qatar |url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/media-releases/qatar-v-ecuador-to-kick-off-fifa-world-cup-2022-tm-on-20-november | title=Qatar v. Ecuador to kick off FIFA World Cup 2022™ on 20 November | date=11 August 2022 | accessdate=16 September 2022 | archive-date=20 September 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920170636/https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022/media-releases/qatar-v-ecuador-to-kick-off-fifa-world-cup-2022-tm-on-20-november | url-status=live }}

At the final 2022 tournament, Qatar exited in the first round, losing all three of their matches.