In the sports world, countries within the Arabian Peninsula such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain are getting increased airtime as their influence on sport continues to grow. Alongside football, golf, boxing and even tennis, basketball is a sport firmly on their radar. This is especially the case for Qatar who were awarded the hosting rights for the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2027. The Persian Gulf has been a hotbed of sporting activity over the past years, with the FIFA World Cup also taking place in Qatar only as recently as 2022. The awarding of the FIBA World Cup 2027 to Qatar only further cements this nation’s burgeoning reputation as the ideal, modern-day host for sporting events.
If there were odds available for where a major sporting event would take place, Qatar or Saudi Arabia would feature high amongst the favourites. Using a pinnacle bonus nz would be a near safe bet, such is the regularity that these countries are starting to host events on a large scale. The decision to award Qatar events in recent years has not come without its controversy, but there are logical reasons as to why this country is the perfect location for large scale tournaments.
In recent years, FIBA’s Central Board has passed the hosting ball from Spain to China, and most recently in 2023 to the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia. Now Qatar has landed the slam dunk. One of the reasons is the location and more importantly, the flight connections Qatar has with the rest of the world. Doha is a connecting hub for many airlines, so from a logistical perspective, journeys might be easier and fairer for all fans. The NFL deliberately do the same with the matches they host in England and Germany. London, Frankfurt, and Munich play host to NFL matches due to their accessibility.
But if we are talking about Doha, then we are speaking of a modern-day metropolis which has been custom built from the ground up. This means state-of-the-art facilities, including brand new stadiums, such as the Lusail Stadium, and transport systems. Traditionally, major sporting events have taken place in different cities within a country, like Spain or China. However, the modern-day Doha is able to provide enough stadia and facilities to house a tournament under one roof. This in turn also provides a condensed carnival atmosphere as a backdrop for any sporting action.
It might still be a relatively new and up-and-coming nation, but sports fans might have to regularly start checking for flights to Doha, Qatar, if they want to follow their country at a major tournament.
