Football

Football is one of the world’s oldest and most popular sports. Traces of early forms of the game date back to ancient civilizations such as China, where a game called "Cuju" was played during the Han Dynasty, involving kicking a ball into a net without using hands. Similar versions were also found in Greek and Roman societies. However, the modern version of football began to take shape in 19th-century England.

In 1863, the Football Association (FA) was established in England, marking a key turning point in the sport’s development. It introduced the first unified set of rules and officially distinguished football from rugby, which at the time shared similar elements. The sport quickly gained popularity in schools and universities and spread far beyond the UK to Europe, Latin America, and eventually the world. The first official international match was played between England and Scotland in 1872, and in 1904, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was founded. The first FIFA World Cup followed in 1930, hosted by Uruguay.

Football was first introduced as a demonstration sport at the Olympic Games in 1900 and 1904, becoming the first team sport to be included in the Olympic programme. It was officially added to the Olympic schedule at London 1908 and has been featured at every edition since, except for Los Angeles 1932. Women’s football made its Olympic debut at Atlanta 1996. While professional players are allowed in the men’s tournament, participation is limited to those under 23 years of age, with three over-age players permitted per team. In contrast, there are no age restrictions in the women’s competition.

Team Qatar qualified for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 1984 and again in Barcelona 1992, reaching the quarter-finals on both occasions. One of the country’s most remarkable football achievements came at the Doha 2006 Asian Games, where the national team captured the gold medal in front of a home crowd.

In 2022, Qatar made history once again by becoming the first country in the Middle East to host the FIFA World Cup — the second largest sporting event in the world — further solidifying its place on the global sporting stage.