Author: Nuha Khan
As part of their national visions, GCC states seek to reduce reliance on oil and natural gas revenues by promoting diversified economic growth and social development. In particular, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are utilizing sports to advance youth-empowerment and long-term development.
Qatar capitalized on the 2022 FIFA World Cup to institutionalize youth sports into its national development framework, fostering innovation in sports technology, strengthening education through programs like Aspire Academy, and expanding global engagement with organizations such as Generation Amazing. Saudi Arabia is pursuing a systemic, reform-driven sports strategy that emphasizes girls’ participation, talent pipelines, and private sector growth to build a self-sustaining sports ecosystem. It is also driving social, infrastructure, and economic changes that support long-term human capital development.
This paper examines how Qatar and Saudi Arabia are utilizing youth sports to develop local human capital to drive sustainable economic diversification. Using Human Capital Theory and Soft Power Theory as analytical frameworks, this study examines how sports are fostering the leadership, innovation, and global recognition needed to support the countries’ transition to knowledge-based economies. However, several challenges persist, including limited career-tracking data, reliance on government funding, and limited private sector activity.
Goal Diplomacy 