A special signing ceremony was held to announce the exclusive partnership agreement, commemorating the soon to open Arena at Doha Festival City

Doha, Qatar – 15 November 2022: Doha Festival City, Qatar's one and only choice for shopping, dining, and entertainment announced today that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), Qatar’s leading digital bank, and Visa as sponsors of the new Doha Festival City Arena. Available to mall visitors from the 20th of November until the 20th of December, Doha Festival City Arena marks the start of festivities to celebrate the much-awaited football event in Qatar.

A special ceremony was held at Doha Festival City on 14th of November with the presence of representatives from Bawabat Al Shamal Real Estate Company (BASREC), the developer and owner of Doha Festival City, QIB, and Visa to sign the sponsorship agreement of Doha Festival City Arena. 

Situated outside the Luxury Area, the Doha Festival City Arena is spread on a 1600 meters square-wide area, designed to welcome fans from Qatar and across the globe to watch the games outdoors in a lively atmosphere, while enjoying refreshments from a variety of dining outlets including Oak Berry, Cup of Joe, and IKEA. Entry to the Arena is free but prior booking is required through Doha Festival City’s Festival Rewards application. 

Furthermore, the Arena will feature a VIP lounge where QIB will host VIP guests and partners for a unique and premium match viewing experience throughout the tournament. The VIP lounge includes a comfortable seating area, as well as an entertainment area, and a selection of food and beverages available for all guests. Entry to the lounge is exclusive for QIB Visa cardholders by invitation only.

Jihad Zarkout, Assistant General Manager of Bawabat Al Shamal Real Estate Company (Basrec) said: “We are pleased to announce our partnership with QIB and Visa. This is a great opportunity for our mall visitors to be part of this exciting initiative, and to celebrate the spirit of football at the one and only international mall of choice in Qatar. We would like to express our gratitude for their support and cooperation, and we are looking forward to a long-lasting relationship with our esteemed sponsors.” 

Commenting on the signing, Mr. Tarek Fawzi, QIB's Wholesale Banking Group General Manager said: “We are really happy with our partnership with Doha Festival City and Visa, to offer our customers and partners world-class hospitality and the chance to celebrate the most anticipated sporting event in the world. The Arena is a great venue to commemorate the milestone we have been anticipating for years, and an opportunity that will allow us to offer our community a unique experience to enjoy the tournament.”

For his part, Dr. Sudheer Nair, Visa’s Country Manager for Qatar said: “We are proud to be part of football history while offering our cardholders and guests a unique experience to watch the matches and cheer for their teams. It is always exciting to be signing new partnerships with QIB to support its vision for growth and offer the best experience for its customers. The new partnership comes as part of our efforts to support Qatar and extend the benefits of digital commerce to local businesses while empowering the national economy.”

Robert Hall, General Manager for Doha Festival City said: “Our partnership with QIB and Visa is very valuable to Doha Festival City at this special time in the country’s history. Through this partnership, we will strive to offer our guests a unique space to enjoy the matches and immerse themselves in the football fever at their favorite mall. We encourage our guests to visit Doha Festival City Arena with their friends and families and enjoy a variety of football-centric activations inside the mall.”

Doha Festival City, QIB and Visa recently launched the highlight anticipated Spend and Win competition for shoppers where QIB Visa cardholders will have the chance to win tickets to the FIFA World Cup™ Finals! Running until 30th November 2022 with each QAR 250 spent at Doha Festival City will give customers one entry in the draw.