Qatar's generous spending on sports stimulates the economy

Sport constitutes a large industry and has economic, social and financial dimensions. Qatar is a pioneer in this field, as it spends generously on sports and has become a global destination for its fans. Qatar's total imports of sports goods and products and related accessories amounted to about QR1.695bn in the first 10 months of last year.
This year's National Sport Day celebration will witness the organisation of about 130 events with the participation of more than 100 parties. The Planning and Statistics Authority said that Qatar imported sports goods worth about QR1.3bn during 2021, a rise of 74.2% over 2020, during which imports amounted to QR738.4mn. Belgium, China, Italy, Vietnam and South Africa accounted for the list of the most important countries of origin from which sports goods are imported.
The sports sector in the country contributed to increasing and diversifying the sources of national income in terms of revitalising the sports tourism industry.
The impressive success in hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 has confirmed the country's position as a global sports destination, after it laid new rules in organising the World Cup finals. In its statement to QNA, the Planning and Statistics Authority indicated that Qatari imports of sports goods and products and their accessories recorded a remarkable growth over the past years.
Qatar not only imported sports goods and products and their accessories, but also re-exported to a number of countries in the world. Statistics show that the general total for re-exporting sports goods has recorded continuous growth over the past years, reaching QR70.7mn in 2020, rising to QR119.5mn in 2021, and then jumping to QR173.7mn in the period from January to October 2022. The financial returns from hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 amounted to about $17bn.
Qatar has received more than 1mn and 400,000 visitors from all over the world, and the (FIFA) estimated that about 5bn people around the world watched the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 matches. Qatar also pays special attention to the sports sector because of its direct impact on bringing about a quantum leap in the infrastructure in terms of building sports facilities according to the highest international specifications and standards comparable to those in major developed countries.
According to the data of the Planning and Statistics Authority for 2021, there are about 313 buildings for sports activities in all municipalities of the country, while sports equipment in hotels and private halls reached about 17,243 devices, and the number of participants in sports in hotels and halls increased from 58,400 in 2020 to 95,700 subscribers in 2021. The number of workers in the field of sports in hotels and gyms reached 1,661 workers, including administrators, trainers, nutritionists, physiotherapists, nurses and other workers in the field of sports, while the number of football stadiums in Qatar reached 85 stadiums, most notably 45 stadiums in first-class clubs, 16 in second-class clubs, and 18 stadiums in Al-Furjan.
At the same level, schools in Qatar contain stadiums distributed over 532 schools between public schools and private schools. In recent years, sport has remained a key factor in stimulating economic growth, and it constitutes one of the most important sources of income in the countries of the world, as its return is not limited to direct investment only, but extends to achieve indirect returns such as stimulating and providing job opportunities in the sectors of real estate, tourism, transportation, communications, retail, and others, in addition to investing in sports facilities, equipment, etc., as well as to other intangible returns such as the well-being and happiness of peoples.
Qatar celebrated its first sports day in February 2012, after the issuance of Amiri Resolution No 80 of 2011, that stipulates that Tuesday of the second week of February of each year is the country's sports day, and as a paid leave, during which ministries and other government agencies, public bodies and institutions organise sporting events in which workers and their families participate, in order to achieve awareness of the importance of sport and its role in the lives of individuals and societies. All state institutions participate in this sporting event, so that Qatar becomes a large field in which tens of thousands of citizens and residents from all segments of society practice many types of sport.
Qatar is a pioneer in organising a sports day in the region and the world, as some countries have begun to organise a sports day similar to Qatar because of its importance to the individual and society.