Football is the most popular game in Qatar, – playing and spectating. On a local level, Qatar has a vibrant football following, with local, first and second clubs and associations throughout the country. There are four national teams: the First Team, U-23s, U-19s and U-17s.

Football in Qatar was first introduced in the late 1940s and developed rapidly in the 1950s with Doha Stadium becoming the first proper football venue in the Gulf region.

When Doha hosted the 2006 Asian Games, Qatar won the football gold medal with a 2-0 victory over Iraq in the final, as a young Qatar side impressed with aggressive tactics in front of packed houses right throughout the competition. Most of the players from the gold medal-winning team went on to serve the senior team for a number of years.

The Qatar WNT is a different story. The team became inactive after 2014 not playing a game for more than 18 months, making them unranked by FIFA. They have appeared subsequently in some special events, like playing friendlies against Washington Spirit in 2020 and against Afghanistan after their evacuation from Afghanistan.