Doha, Qatar: The National Sports Day Committee of the State of Qatar 2026 announced the particulars of the new events, set to be launched statewide in February 2026.
Under the motto "I Chose Sports", these events are intended to help community members familiarize themselves with the importance of practicing sports as a lifestyle and for enduring health.
During the press conference held on Wednesday at Lusail Sports Hall, the Committee discussed the events agenda, which includes a diverse bundle of sports, recreational, and cultural activities, with the engagement of both public and private agencies, in public parks and sports facilities, ensuring the distribution of activities nationwide and encouraging the participation of all segments of society.
Chairman of the National Sports Day Committee 2026 and President of the Qatar Sports for All Federation (QSFA), Abdulrahman bin Muslim Al Dosari, affirmed that the choice of this motto underscores the transformation of practicing sports into a decision and responsible societal awareness, contributing to the enhancement of quality of life and public health, and making sports an effective tool in building a productive, active, and creative society.
The Sports Day has morphed into a national platform for embracing a culture of physical activity and balance, reinforcing health values within Qatari society, after it was merely an annual event, Al Dosari highlighted.
He emphasised that sports were not a temporary activity, but a lifestyle reflecting awareness and a spirit of responsibility toward oneself and society, suggesting that this day represents an annual opportunity to strengthen and embed this awareness, consistently with the nation’s vision to build a healthy, active, and sustainable society, in addition to surmounting the challenges of life faced by all.
Al Dosari noted that the opportunity is open to all members of society to engage in sports and physical activity, making use of the numerous large sports venues and facilities the nation provides.
During the conference, QSFA unveiled the 2026 calendar, comprising over 800 community sports events.
Executive Director of QSFA, Abdullah Al Dosari, reviewed the milestones of 2025, stating that QSFA organises numerous community sports events in which all segments of society participate. He highlighted that the total number of participants reached 215,506 in events distributed across all the nation’s regions, from the north and south to central Doha, extending to the west in Dukhan and Al Jumailiya, in addition to public parks, youth centers, and sports clubs.
Al Dosari underscored the effort to expand the scope of activities to reach all available locations, noting that participation in the 365 Days of Activity program reached 35,000 participants across four different parks, taking part in 1,460 sports sessions under the supervision of 36 community coaches, confirming the rise and improvement in participation rates compared to last year.
Regarding Farjan football fields, Al Dosari reported 58,751 registered participants across 16 fields, while walking and running activities at the Farjan fields recorded 13,800 participants. School activities accounted for 22,259 participants, and the total number of participants in community events rose to 40,593 across more than 52 locations.
The Executive Director added that the number of participants in sports championships reached 6,984, while community running events saw participation increase to 38,696.
The number of women participants rose to 8,000 across 59 races during the year, achieving great success and growing engagement. He confirmed that these figures reflect the clear increase in participation, as the year before last saw 206,000 participants, while 2025 reached 216,000 participants, with a total of 750 targeted sports events, while 834 events were organised.
Al Dosari further explained that school sports events displayed great diversity, with 91 events involving 22,259 participants across 60 schools, a number higher than achieved previously. He also noted that sports championships drew record participation, with 74 championships involving 6,984 participants.
He concluded by referencing the "Sports for All" application, affirming that it is a comprehensive platform, tracking all participation in community sports events, individual walking activities and steps, event tickets, and running races.
More than 73,000 people, he confirmed, downloaded the application this year. Al Dosari hoped that QSFA succeeded in selecting the activities organized in 2025, and that 2026 will be even better, implementing the planned activities at the same high quality, exceeding 800 sports and community events, in collaboration with all partners.
