Indonesia Eyes Sports, Tourism Collaboration with Qatar

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is seeking to strengthen its sports ecosystem through international cooperation, with Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir opening talks with Qatar on developing sports academies and sports tourism.

During a meeting with Qatar’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Sultan bin Mubarak Al-Dosari, at the ministry’s office in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Thursday, April 16, Erick highlighted Qatar’s advanced sports industry as a model for Indonesia. “Indonesia has much to learn from Qatar, a global leader in sports development,” he said in an official statement released Friday, April 17, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

The discussion, attended by ministry officials, including Secretary Gunawan Suswantoro, explored opportunities for strategic collaboration in building an integrated sports ecosystem. Minister Erick pointed to Qatar’s Aspire Zone Foundation as an example of how athlete development, sports science, and infrastructure management can be combined into a single framework.

He emphasized that such cooperation could help Indonesia grow its sports industry sustainably while also expanding sports tourism. “I hope this meeting opens wider opportunities for collaboration, especially in developing Indonesia’s national sports ecosystem,” said Minister Erick, who also serves as chairman of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI).

The minister believes that well-structured partnerships can make Indonesia’s sports ecosystem more competitive globally. He also underlined the importance of sports diplomacy as a tool to strengthen international ties. “Sport diplomacy will be key to building a structured, competitive, and globally resilient sports ecosystem for Indonesia,” Minister Erick concluded. ***