The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced on Thursday that it has received two bids to host its showpiece event, the Asian Games, in 2030.

Doha, the capital of Qatar, and Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, submitted official bids to host the 21st Asian Games before the April 22 deadline set by the OCA. The bid document from the National Olympic Committee of each country was accompanied by letters of support from the city and respective governments.

Doha hosted the 15th Asian Games in December 2006 but Saudi Arabia has never been the host of an OCA multi-sport event.

The President of the Olympic Council of Asia, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, said: "The OCA is delighted to receive two strong bids for our Asian Games in 2030. It shows the trust and confidence in the Olympic Movement in Asia and further enhances our reputation of hosting world-class sporting events on a major scale."

The 19th Asian Games will take place in Hangzhou, China in 2022, and the 20th Asiad will be staged in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan in 2026.

The OCA sent a circular to all 45 National Olympic Committees on January 23, 2020, inviting bids for the 21st Asian Games in 2030. The deadline was Wednesday, April 22.

"With these two bids for the 2030 Asian Games we now have stability and continuity in our sports movement for the next decade," Sheikh Ahmad added.

"This will allow our National Olympic Committees, our administrators and, above all, our athletes to make solid plans for the future in the short term, medium term and long term."

"It puts us in an envious position in terms of our sports calendar and highlights again that Asia is a major partner in the global Olympic movement."

(With input from Xinhua News Agency)