Why Winter Sports in Qatar Are Getting a Major Moment in Doha This Week

Elevating the city’s sporting landscape with a dynamic new season: How the Qatar Canada and Mexico 2026 Year of Culture is shaping a premier winter sports legacy in Doha.

In the world of international cultural exchange, few things are as unexpected or as exhilarating as finding the precision of curling and the high-speed intensity of ice hockey at the heart of the Arabian Peninsula. 

On Thursday, 30 April 2026, the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena transforms into the stage for a new sporting chapter, as Years of Culture and the Qatar Winter Sports Committee officially pull back the curtain on their 2026 Winter Sports Development Programme. 

Part of the Qatar Canada and Mexico 2026 Year of Culture, this is not just a one-off exhibition; it is the debut of a year-round commitment to carving out a permanent, sustainable home for winter sports in Qatar. 

By blending professional-grade technical development with inclusive, family-oriented open houses, the programme invites everyone, from the curious spectator to the aspiring athlete, to lace up their skates and redefine what a desert sporting landscape can look like.

Beginning in April 2026, the Qatar Winter Sports Committee and Years of Culture will host a monthly calendar of recurring events at venues around Doha. Designed to engage athletes, families, and the wider community, monthly events are free to the public and will include:

• Exhibition ice hockey matches between local Canadian and Qatari amateur teams 

• Exhibition curling matches between local Canadian and Qatari amateur teams 

• Family open houses introducing curling 

• Family open houses introducing ice hockey 

• Family open houses introducing speed skating 

The first series of events will take place at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena on Thursday, 30 April 2026, featuring an exhibition curling match followed by an open house for attendees, as well an exhibition hockey match and accompanying family experience sessions.