Thousands of Steps Organized in Malls During “Sports for All” Summer Program

The “Mall Walking Step Challenge”, organized by the Qatar Sports For All Federation under the umbrella of the Ministry of Sports and Youth, is witnessing wide participation and growing interest from various age groups. Shopping malls have turned into vibrant spaces for walking through this innovative national initiative, which aims to promote a healthy lifestyle and encourage physical activity in indoor environments during the summer months.

This initiative is part of the 2025 Sports for All Summer Calendar, which includes diverse activities and events in stadiums, sports halls, clubs, youth centers, public parks, and schools, with the participation of 28 entities from ministries, institutions, organizations, and commercial centers. The overall goal is to encourage the community — especially children and school students — to stay physically active throughout the summer holiday.

The Walking Challenge specifically aims to encourage participants to complete 10,000 steps daily inside shopping malls, leveraging the comfortable air-conditioned environments and safe settings provided by seven major participating malls across the country:

  • Doha Festival City

  • Al Hazm Mall

  • Qatar Mall

  • Hayat Plaza

  • Tawar Mall

  • Abu Sidra Mall

  • Lagoona Mall

The challenge will continue until the end of August.

The first rounds saw significant engagement, with thousands of participants joining via the “Sports For All” app. Among the malls, Doha Festival City recorded the highest turnout, attracting over 45% of all participants, thanks to its ample space. Other malls also saw noticeable growth in the number of participants joining the challenge and walking during this summer period — reflecting the importance and positive impact of the campaign.

Abdullah Al-Dosari, Executive Director of the Qatar Sports For All Federation, stated that the Walking Challenge is one of the Federation’s core initiatives to promote an active lifestyle among community members. He noted that walking is one of the simplest and most important physical activities, which is why the Federation launched the challenge as an accessible and motivating option, away from the outdoor summer heat.

He added that there are plans to expand the initiative in the future to include more malls and public parks in various regions of the country, aiming to provide diverse options for all segments of society.

Al-Dosari confirmed that mall participation has been strong, indicating a growing awareness of the importance of walking as a fitness activity. The challenge rounds will continue in succession, with varied side activities and prizes to add excitement and attract even more participants.

He explained that participation is easy: individuals can download the “Sports For All” app and link it with Google Fit (for Android users) or Apple Health (for iPhone users). To ensure steps are counted only inside the mall premises, users must enable location tracking.

Several participants in the challenge reported that committing to walking for at least 30 minutes daily has led to noticeable positive changes in their lifestyle, energy levels, and overall well-being. They shared that malls offer a comfortable and inviting environment that encourages continued participation, and many are now motivating their children and friends to join the Mall Walking Challenge as well.