Doha named 2030 Asian Games host, Riyadh gets 2034

Gulf rivals Qatar and Saudi Arabia were both vying for 2030 hosting rights.
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Qatar on Wednesday was named to host the 2030 Asian Games and Saudi Arabia was selected for the 2034 competition. Here, the chairman of the Qatar Olympic Committee, Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani (L), Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani (2L), the president of the Olympic Council of Asia, Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah (C) and the Saudi sports minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal al-Saud (C-R), are seen at the Dec. 16, 2020, council meeting in the Omani capital of Muscat. - HAITHAM AL-SHUKAIRI/AFP via Getty Images
Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East
Al-Monitor Staff

The Qatari capital of Doha will host the 2030 Asian Games, the Olympic Council of Asia announced Wednesday, naming the Saudi capital of Riyadh as host in 2034 and bringing an end to the intense bidding war between the two Gulf Arab states over one of the biggest sporting events in the world. 

"I can now announce ... that the city who had the highest vote and will host 2030 is Doha," said council President Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah of Kuwait. "The second hosting city, for 2034, is Riyadh."

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