Qatar Airways, the Official Airline of the Journey Celebrates the Historic Opening of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™

21 November 2022

Qatar Airways celebrated the opening of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ with millions of fans around the globe.

An opening ceremony filled with spectacular fireworks and musical performances, marked the first ever tournament to be held in the Middle East.

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ is officially underway and Qatar Airways, as the official airline of the journey, is marking the month-long tournament with special football-themed experiences at the stadiums and at fan zones across the country.

World-class sports infrastructure, a five-star airport expansion and a host of fun-filled tourist attractions and cultural experiences also await the 1.5 million fans expected to attend the event.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “The countdown is complete, and after more than a decade, our dream of bringing the world together has truly come alive. We have witnessed a spectacular opening ceremony, one that is truly worthy of honouring the greatest show on Earth.

"We have 63 more matches ahead of us and I am sure every single one of them will be an unforgettable experience. We are excited to give the world a taste of Arab hospitality and share our passion for connecting the world through travel and sport.”

The World’s Best Airline recently launched a FIFA World Cup™ campaign anthem on board flights arriving in Qatar and dedicated it to fans everywhere.  “C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S.”  sung by internationally acclaimed singer Cheb Khaled and superstar DJ Rodge has already received millions of views across the airline’s official channels.

For the duration of the tournament, the Qatar Airways fleet is carrying the FIFA World Cup™ decal on 120 aircraft. The specially-branded aircraft include 48 B777s, 31 B787s, 21 A320s, 12 A330s, and eight A380s. Three specially-branded Boeing 777 aircraft are hand-painted in FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ livery.

Upon arriving to any of the eight stadiums on match day, guests are invited to enjoy various interactive and family-friendly games at Qatar Airways’ stands.

Football fans staying in Qatar during the tournament are invited to visit the Qatar Airways Skyhouse, located at the FIFA Fan Festival™ at Al Bidda Park which is situated along Doha’s beautiful Corniche. The Skyhouse has a zipline experience, a Neymar Jr. interactive challenge, a swing photo booth and a QVerse virtual tour of Qatar Airways’ award-winning business class. Global music acts and local artists will be also be joining the line up to entertain fans at the fan zone.

Qatar Airways has also partnered with social media platform 433 ‘The Home of Football’ for the duration of the tournament, and will be broadcasting post-match analysis featuring football legends.

In 2017, Qatar Airways announced its partnership with FIFA as the Official Airline. The alliance has gone on to connect and unite fans globally, with The World’s Best Airline also sponsoring numerous football tournaments such as the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017™, the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, the FIFA Club World Cup™, and the FIFA Women's World Cup™.