Photo by Hana Ramadan / The Peninsula
Doha: American television host and comedian, Steve Harvey, has announced the 'Family Feud Qatar' project among the line-up of upcoming events to take place in the country.
Speaking with the media on the sidelines of the unveiling of the Qatar Calendar 2026/2027, Harvey spoke about the new major project 'Family Feud Qatar' outlining plans for two stages of the concept.
“The main new staple is Family Feud. Two different levels of Family Feud, Family Feud Qatar and eventually it will become the Family Feud World Cup,” he said.
Harvey said the idea would build on Qatar’s experience of hosting major international events, inviting families from around the world to visit the country, experience its culture and compete in the popular game show.
“Why not have families from all over the world come to experience the beauty and the culture of Qatar, but playing the most iconic game show in the world, which is Family Feud?” he said.
He mentioned the proposed competition would combine entertainment with cultural exchange, giving participating families the opportunity to “play the game, have fun, share, make new friends” and experience Qatar.
Harvey also said the concept would feature a significant cash prize and described the proposed Family Feud World Cup as a new format that has not previously been staged.
“No one has ever done a Family Feud World Cup,” he said.
Looking ahead, Harvey revealed plans for several new and returning entertainment concepts in Qatar.
“We’re bringing FuelFest back again,” he said, while also announcing a new Golden Mic comedy series aimed at bringing comedians who have not previously performed in the region.
In addition to FuelFest and Family Feud, Harvey highlighted Soul Fest, a major sneaker convention that he said has been secured through a multi-year agreement.
“We signed a multi-year deal this year to bring a Soul Fest, which is a huge sneaker convention,” he said, adding that sneaker enthusiasts from around the world would be brought together in Qatar.
Harvey also spoke about Qatar as a destination capable of bringing people from different parts of the world together through entertainment and shared experiences.
“I’m here because I bring IPs. I bring things that bring people together,” Harvey said.
“I’m in the people business. I’m in finding the similarities in people, not the differences,” Harvey said.
Commenting on the growth of tourism in Qatar despite ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region, Harvey said he was focused on the human side of the story.
“I’m not in that side of it. I’m in the people business,” he said.
Harvey stated that people around the world share many of the same aspirations, including the desire to be happy, successful and provide a better life for their children.
“As long as we keep talking about the differences, we’re not going to ever make it. We’ve got to talk about the similarities,” he said.
The announcement come alongside the unveiling of the Qatar Calendar 2026/2027, which features more than 560 events in partnership with nearly 780 organisations, covering sport, culture and entertainment throughout the year.
For Harvey, however, the value of these events extends beyond entertainment, with the emphasis on creating opportunities for people from different backgrounds to meet and discover what they share. “Everybody that I know, they want to be happy. Everybody I know want to be successful,” he said. “If that’s the common goal, then that’s reachable.”
