Analysis World Cup 2022 All eyes on Doha as World Cup finally comes to town Late autumn is typically a busy time in the Doha social calendar, as temperatures fall in Qatar and locals and wealthier expats return from cooler climes. This year the atmosphere is different. In one respect, the city has never been busier, as an army of labourers puts the finishing touches to the stadiums, hotels, malls, […] November 18, 2022
World Cup 2022 No alcohol sales at World Cup stadiums after Fifa u-turn Alcohol will not be sold at Qatar’s World Cup stadiums, Fifa has announced, in a reversal of its previous policy. The statement comes two days before the tournament begins on Sunday. It is the first to be held in a conservative Muslim country with strict controls on alcohol, the consumption of which is banned in […] November 18, 2022
Tourism Israel deploys diplomats to World Cup to help fans settle Israel has sent diplomats to help its citizens attending the World Cup in Qatar and plans to launch temporary direct flights to Doha on Sunday as the countries find a measure of accommodation for the soccer tournament despite having no formal relations. Between 10,000 and 20,000 Israelis are expected at the month-long matches in the […] November 18, 2022
Long read World Cup 2022 Lusail City is ready for Qatar 2022 … and beyond All over the Gulf, Vision 2030 mega-projects are somewhere on the road from drawing-board dream to functioning reality. One has already got there: Lusail City in Qatar. Work on the development began almost a decade ago, spurred on by preparations for the 2022 World Cup. At the time, the site was a mere village, about […] November 18, 2022
Energy QatarEnergy and Chevron to build $8.5bn plastic plant in Texas QatarEnergy and Chevron Phillips Chemical said they have reached a final investment decision to build an $8.5 billion polymers facility in Orange, Texas. The agreement is part of a larger move by oil companies preparing for a future in which oil is used less to produce energy but still indispensable for making non‐energy goods such […] November 17, 2022
Analysis Retail Gulf shop tills set to ring up $297bn of sales this year Retail sales across the GCC are likely to surpass pre-pandemic levels this year, driven by a revival of the region’s tourism industry, according to new research. Alpen Capital’s latest report on the retail sector projects year-on-year growth of 15.7 percent, to reach total revenues of $296.8 billion. The industry is expected to record a compounded […] November 16, 2022
Food & Drink Beer to cost nearly $14 per half-litre at Qatar World Cup Half a litre of beer will cost QR 50 ($13.73) inside the main fan zone at the soccer World Cup in Qatar, a source with knowledge of alcohol sales at the tournament told Reuters. Major World Cup sponsor Budweiser has exclusive rights to sell beer at the finals and will serve its products at the […] November 16, 2022
Analysis Development Ooredoo’s PIF deal is the latest in the ‘big telco tower sell-off’ State-owned Qatari telecoms firm Ooredoo’s planned sale of nearly 20,000 towers has attracted bids from some of the biggest names in the business. American Tower Corp, IHS Holding, Helios Towers and Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), are all competing for the acquisition, according to reports by Bloomberg. The newswire cited […] November 15, 2022
Aviation Qatar airport’s final expansion phase to start in early 2023 The final phase of Hamad International Airport (HIA) expansion will start early next year, Qatar Tribune newspaper reported, citing Qatar Airways group chief executive Akbar Al Baker. The expansion will increase the airport’s annual capacity to up to 75 million passengers. Phase A of HIA’s expansion plans is now ready for the much-anticipated FIFA World […] November 13, 2022
Tourism Qatar Airways and Airbus clash over regulators at London hearing Airbus and Qatar Airways skirmished on Friday over relations with aviation watchdogs and a deluge of confidential documents as legal claims over grounded jets hit $2 billion. Filling a large courtroom in the London High Court, the latest procedural hearing in a high-stakes contractual and safety dispute laboured over the intricate details of ‘shared drives’ […] November 13, 2022
Banking & Finance Qatar transfers $1bn to Egypt to meet interim finance needs Qatar Investment Authority has deposited $1 billion with Egypt’s central bank amid talks to acquire stakes in some state-owned entities, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed informed sources. Due diligence on the assets and finalising a deal will likely take time; therefore, the $445 billion sovereign fund deposited the cash to help Egypt meet its interim finances, […] November 10, 2022
World Cup 2022 Qatar’s non-oil sector slows despite World Cup 2022 Qatar’s headline Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) in October fell below the neutral 50 mark, bringing an end to 27 consecutive months of growth, as the country prepares to host the Fifa World Cup later this month. The latest PMI survey data from Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) shows that the index fell to 48.4 in October […] November 10, 2022
Analysis Business of Sport Fifa ‘referee tech’ to transform the beautiful game at Qatar 2022 The 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar is set to kick off with some new technology that will prevent a replay of some of football’s most controversial moments and generate even more potential revenue streams for the game. The single biggest tournament for the single biggest sport will begin in Doha on November 20, with […] November 6, 2022
Banking & Finance S&P upgrades Qatar’s credit rating on shrinking debt burden Ratings agency S&P on Friday raised Qatar’s long-term sovereign credit rating to ‘AA’ from ‘AA-‘, citing improvements in the government’s fiscal position. “Qatar’s debt interest costs as a share of government revenue have fallen, and we expect them to remain low because the government is repaying maturing debt,” the agency said in a statement. High […] November 6, 2022
Economy Moody’s upgrades Qatar outlook on higher energy prices Ratings agency Moody’s has upgraded Qatar’s credit outlook to positive from stable, citing higher energy prices expected to bring significant budget surpluses that will help the Gulf state to manage its medium-term debt profile. Qatar, which hosts the 2022 FIFA World Cup this month, is one of the world’s largest exporters of natural gas and […] November 4, 2022
Business of Sport Renowned artist paints boots and balls for Qatar’s World Cup Lili Cantero, a 29-year-old Paraguayan artist famed for painting intricate and personal soccer boots for stars including Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho, is preparing a new colourful show of her work to take to the World Cup in Qatar. The Asuncion-born artist is painting some two dozen sets of boots, balls and canvases, many inspired by […] October 31, 2022
Business of Sport Qatar’s beIN Sports picks Saudi firm as $150m advertising partner Qatar-based beIN, a sports broadcaster that was banned in Saudi Arabia until last year, said on Wednesday it had chosen a Saudi firm as its exclusive advertising partner in the Middle East and North Africa in a deal that a source put at some $150 million. BeIN Sports said in a statement it had signed […] October 27, 2022
Aviation Qatar Airways wins UK court battle with aircraft seat maker A British court has ruled in favour of Qatar Airways in a dispute between the Gulf carrier and an Italian aircraft seat manufacturer. Sezze-based Optimares had sued Qatar Airways after the airline terminated a contract to buy made-to-order business and economy class seats for some of the Doha-based airline’s Boeing and Airbus aircraft. But a […] October 25, 2022
Banking & Finance UK watchdog fines Barclays $55m over fees paid to Qatari entities Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said it would fine Barclays £50 million ($55 million) for its failure to disclose fees paid to Qatari entities during its financial crisis-era fundraising. The fine dates back to the height of the 2008-2009 crisis, when Barclays scrambled to raise funds from overseas investors including Qatar in order to avoid […] October 23, 2022
Retail Winter World Cup may be nightmare for British stores The winter World Cup has added a new level of uncertainty to the Christmas trading outlook of Britain’s supermarkets: How do you persuade cash-strapped shoppers to buy yule logs and luxury biscuits at the same time as beer and pizza? Running between November 20 and December 18, the soccer tournament in Qatar falls directly in […] October 20, 2022
