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World Cup 2022

Lionel Messi, Antonela Roccuzzo and their sons on holiday. His latest Saudi Tourism promo video has been posted on Instagram Video length: 01:02

Saudi tourism scores big with Lionel Messi video

Global Google searches for “Saudi tourism” shot up at the weekend after tourism bosses in the kingdom released a new promotional video starring footballer Lionel Messi. The campaign, which is being launched in markets including Europe, India and China, focuses on overturning common misconceptions about Saudi Arabia. The video has been watched by 50 million […]

Saudi Arabia produced one of the great World Cup shocks when they defeated Argentina at Qatar 2022. Lionel Messi's team recovered to eventually win the tournament

Saudi Arabia to host 2034 World Cup

Saudi Arabia is to be formally declared as the host of the 2034 Fifa World Cup after Australia said on Tuesday – the final day for bids – that it would not submit an application.  Football Australia said in a statement that it had decided to focus instead on bids for the 2026 Women’s Asian […]

Qatar Tourism bedouin camp

Qatar exceeds 2022 tourism figures in just eight months

The number of tourists in Qatar this year has exceeded the figure for the whole of 2022, with officials saying that hosting the Fifa World Cup has put the Gulf state on the map. Qatar Tourism data revealed that the country has welcomed more than 2.5 million visitors as of the last week in August. […]

Set up companies Qatar

Qatar kicks back after post-World Cup slump

There has been a rise in international companies considering a move to Qatar following a post-World Cup slump. Experts believe the spike in interest is partly due to the UAE’s decision to introduce corporate tax as well as an update to Qatar’s Single Window system, which was launched in 2019 to help companies set up […]

qatar's non-oil sector

Qatar’s non-oil sector up but real estate slows

Business conditions for Qatar’s non-oil private sector continued to improve in July. However there was a lack of demand for real estate following previous growth in construction that was linked to the Fifa World Cup. Output, new orders, employment and purchasing all expanded, with Qatar’s latest Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) reaching 54.0 in July, up […]

Qatari companies are reporting new business opportunities arising from the World Cup, the PMI found

Qatar’s private sector activity slows after World Cup boost

Business activity in Qatar’s private sector cooled in January after its World Cup bounce. The first Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) survey for 2023 posted a correction to 45.7 in January, from 49.6 in December, as activity and new work slowed following the tournament, which ran from November 20 to December 18 last year. It was […]

Qatar business

Qatar World Cup fuels spike in private sector optimism

Optimism among non-oil private sector companies in Qatar has risen to a 29-month high following the impact of the Fifa World Cup on the country’s economy. Post-tournament business opportunities and an expected permanent boost to tourism were cited by companies polled in the latest purchasing managers’ index (PMI) survey data from Qatar Financial Centre. The […]

Brand Qatar’s legacy once the last World Cup fan has gone home

Strolling down Lusail Boulevard on a warm December evening, foreign fans who have lingered on after the World Cup to enjoy some winter sun pause to chat with local vloggers about their lasting impressions of Qatar.  “Impressed” is a word they use frequently. “Hospitality” and “generosity” are mentioned often. One pedestrian describes with delight how […]

Lionel Messi accepts the World Cup trophy from the emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Fifa president Gianni Infantino after Argentina defeated France on penalties at the Lusail Stadium

Qatar 2022: The making of a sports nation

From Formula 1 to the 2030 Asian games, Qatar’s hosting of a series of major events before and after the World Cup has reinforced its role in the global sporting diary.  Having built eight stadiums for the 2022 tournament, the Gulf state now boasts an infrastructure that will make it a go-to location for many […]

Food Presentation, Food, Glove

Dubai restaurants report tasty boost from World Cup

Dubai restaurants have seen revenues rise by an average of 20 percent during the World Cup, with increased deliveries to homes and offices. “We had anticipated a 20 percent increase in business during [the World Cup] and we are more or less achieving it,” said Sanjay Vazirani, CEO of Foodlink Global Restaurants and Catering Services. […]

Qatar World Cup

Qatar 2022 more about long-term legacy than short-term gains

Once the last ball has been kicked, the final whistle blown and the gold trophy held aloft in Lusail Stadium on December 18, the world’s attention will move on from Qatar.  But the tournament’s economic legacy will take longer to emerge. The history of World Cups and Olympic Games is littered with unmet promises and […]

Private jet

Private jet demand to Doha soars despite World Cup price hikes

Private jet operators have reported a massive surge in demand for flights to Doha during the World Cup, despite the rise in operating costs caused by the high number of aircraft flying in and out of the Qatari capital. “So far, the World Cup has been an incredibly exciting — albeit intensely busy time — […]

Handbag, Bag, Accessories

Japanese sports brand Asics kicks off Gulf expansion in Doha

Japanese sports brand Asics has signed a deal with the UAE’s Apparel Group to develop branded retail stores across the Gulf. The five-year franchise agreement will see the rollout of 20 stores in Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain, with the first outlet opening in Doha Festival City Mall this week. Commenting on […]

Adidas

‘Made-in-Sialkot’ Adidas ball puts Pakistan in the World Cup

Even though it is a cricket-mad nation, Pakistan is playing a big part in theWorld Cup by making the balls used on the training fields in Qatar and the replicas sold to fans worldwide. Forward Sports, a multinational sports equipment company in the northeastern city of Sialkot, has been working with Adidas for almost 20 […]

Qatar 2022

Flight searches to Qatar soar from South Korea and Australia

Searches for travel to Qatar from nations competing in the World Cup surged in November as fans raced to reserve last-minute flights and accommodation in the tournament’s host country.  Enquiries for Qatar on travel aggregator website Wego from internet users in South Korea were up 168 percent in November versus the same period of 2021, […]

World Cup logo on Corniche Promenade

World Cup has instant impact on Qatari retail and tourism

The World Cup has had an immediate impact on private sector activity in Qatar, according to new figures. The Fifa tournament began on November 20 and the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index report, from Qatar Financial Centre, says the country’s wholesale, retail and service providers reported a rapid expansion in the second half of the month.  […]

Person, Man, Adult

How Qatar is handling the world’s football fans

More than one million people are expected to visit Qatar during the World Cup and the authorities are hoping that is the start of a new tourism boom. The opportunity for a country to present itself to a global audience of billions does not come around often. As host of the tournament, Qatar certainly finds […]

The dream is over for Saudi's football fans after Mexico beat them 2-0 at the World Cup, but the countries remain strong trading partners

Saudi and Mexico get back to business after World Cup exit

The deepening relationship between Saudi Arabia and Mexico may have been tested for 90 minutes on Wednesday as the central American team prevailed 2-0 in their World Cup match in Qatar. Both teams went out of the tournament due to results elsewhere in their group, but, more importantly, the two countries are enjoying a bounce […]

Person, Man, Adult

Messi takes on Ronaldo in ‘cryptoverse’ World Cup 2022

The market for fan tokens, a volatile cocktail of crypto and sport, is heating up in the desert of Qatar. Interest in this niche breed of cryptocurrencies, typically linked to sports teams like Barcelona or Brazil, has been charged up by the soccer World Cup which began on November 20. Average daily trading volumes for […]

Urban, Night Life, City

Gulf states to capitalise on World Cup tourism ‘halo’ effect

Qatar’s Gulf neighbours have more than a passing interest in the World Cup. When the tournament ends Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Oman will be looking to capture the ripple effect resulting from the surge in tourists to the region.  For the GCC’s tourism sectors, the World Cup is viewed as a catalyst for a […]