Ticket sales for the Qatar Football Festival, including Finalissima, will begin on February 25, Wednesday at 9pm, Doha time, at www.roadtoqatar.qa. Fans from across the globe are set to experience a star-studded football extravaganza, taking place between March 26-31 in Qatar, that will feature Spain, Argentina, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Serbia in six high-profile matches. **media[420490]**The centrepiece Finalissima will feature an epic showdown between European champions Spain and South American and World champions Argentina at the Lusail Stadium on March 27. This is the first time that Qatar is hosting this prestigious international fixture, reaffirming its position as a global sports capital, as the country continues to gain recognition for its renowned legacy of hosting mega-sporting events. **media[420492]** The much-anticipated fixture will see the return of reigning world champions and Conmebol Copa Amarica 2024 winners Argentina to the iconic Lusail Stadium – where they lifted the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 title – this time to face the UEFA EURO 2024 champions, Spain. Fans attending the Finalissima will witness a once-in-a-lifetime generational showdown, with Argentina’s legendary Messi set to face Spain’s rising star Lamine Yamal.The Qatar Football Festival will also bring together hosts Qatar, Serbia, as well as continental giants Saudi Arabia and Egypt, in a series of thrilling matches, offering participating nations valuable preparation to measure their readiness and assess their capabilities ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.**media[420489]**Fans planning to attend the Qatar Football Festival can purchase tickets in the following categories: Thursday, March 26: Egypt v Saudi Arabia at Ahmad bin Ali StadiumCAT 1: QAR 400 CAT 2: QAR 200 CAT 3: QAR 50 Accessibility Ticket: QAR 50 Qatar v Serbia at Jassim bin Hamad StadiumCAT 1: QAR 100 CAT 2: QAR 50 Accessibility Ticket: QAR 50 Friday, March 27: Finalissima Qatar 2026 (Spain v Argentina) at Lusail Stadium CAT 1: QAR 1200 CAT 2: QAR 600 CAT 3: QAR 200 Accessibility Ticket: QAR 200 Monday, March 30: Egypt v Spain at Lusail StadiumCAT 1: QAR 400 CAT 2: QAR 200 CAT 3: QAR 50 Accessibility Ticket: QAR 50 Saudi Arabia v Serbia at Jassim bin Hamad StadiumCAT 1: QAR 100 CAT 2: QAR 50 Accessibility Ticket: QAR 50 Tuesday, March 31: Qatar v Argentina at Lusail StadiumCAT 1: QAR 400 CAT 2: QAR 200 CAT 3: QAR 50 Accessibility Ticket: QAR 50 Fans can purchase up to four tickets for each match and will receive confirmation via their registered email. All fans attending a match will need their own ticket, including infants. All tickets will be digital and will be made available on the Road To Qatar official ticketing app closer to the match date. Tickets are non-refundable. Tickets include accessible seating options for disabled fans. Disabled fans wishing to request accessible seats can do so by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. Throughout the festival, fans will also be treated to a variety of entertainment and cultural activities. Fans are requested to purchase tickets only through www.roadtoqatar.qa – the official ticket platform for Qatar Football Festival. Tickets purchased from any other unauthorised resale platforms are subject to cancellation. All three venues are connected by the Doha Metro, allowing fans to utilise Qatar’s state-of-the-art public transport network. For international fans, exclusive travel packages, including a round-trip flight, accommodation and a match ticket (CAT 1 or 2), are available through Qatar Airways and Visit Qatar, the marketing and promotional arm of Qatar Tourism. For more information, visit https://www.qatarairways.com/footballfestival.For tickets and more information on the Qatar Football Festival, visit www.roadtoqatar.qa and follow @roadtoqatar on all major social media platforms.

The US-based parent company of Deliveroo has announced it will withdraw the platform from two Asian markets, just months after finalising its acquisition of the British food delivery firm. DoorDash, which acquired the London-headquartered business last year, confirmed that Deliveroo’s operations in Qatar and Singapore will be discontinued. The company stated that the move follows a strategic review of market-specific conditions and aligns with its decision to concentrate investments in countries where it sees stronger long-term growth potential.

Builders VC bridges 16 companies with 30 local partners Global companies at the forefront of innovation are increasingly engaging with Qatar’s venture ecosystem, with introductions facilitated by an international venture capital firm that has brought a diverse set of enterprises to Doha in recent months. Earlier this month, Builders VC, a partner of the Qatar Investment Authority’s (QIA) Fund of Funds, brought six new portfolio companies to Doha, marking a significant milestone in their ongoing efforts. Over the past year, Builders VC has introduced a total of 16 firms, which collectively represent more than $15bn in enterprise value, thereby highlighting the increasing scale and quality of global innovation engaging with Qatar’s venture ecosystem. The six companies, Augment, Gradiant, Ashbrook Technologies, Pathos, Navier, and Breaking, were part of Builders’ delegation that participated in the Web Summit Qatar 2026. Their presence during the event, according to a statement from Builders VC, “underscored the firm’s growing role in connecting frontier technology innovators with Qatar’s long-term economic and innovation agenda.” Builders VC “engaged in high-level discussions on pilot initiatives, research collaborations, and commercialisation strategies aligned with both Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3), unlocking new prospects across fintech, climate technology, healthcare, and advanced industrial sectors,” the statement pointed out. While in Qatar, the six companies engaged with more than 30 Qatari entities the private and public sectors, spanning government, investment, healthcare, infrastructure, energy, tourism, and financial services, and explored localisation strategies, pilot deployment, and long-term collaboration aligned with national priorities. The engagement coincided with a major milestone for Qatar’s innovation agenda, according to the Builders VC statement, citing Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani’s announcement of the expansion of QIA’s Fund of Funds programme by an additional $2bn, bringing the total commitment to $3bn. As a partner in the programme, Builders VC views this expansion as a strong signal of Qatar’s long-term commitment to building a globally competitive venture capital ecosystem that supports both the attraction of international innovation and the development of scalable companies emerging from Qatar. Jim Kim, general partner and founder of Builders VC, stated: “Builders VC’s presence in Doha reflects its commitment to enabling two-way innovation flow: introducing scaled global portfolio companies to the Qatari market while supporting Qatar-based ventures in accessing global capital and international markets. “For several companies, discussions progressed from initial exploration to clearly defined pilot programmes and structured market-entry pathways. This reflects a strong institutional appetite for companies that are committed to building locally, investing in long-term partnerships, and contributing meaningfully to Qatar’s innovation ecosystem.” Builders VC’s engagements in Doha mark continued progress in the company’s regional strategy, focused on long-term partnerships that align global innovation with Qatar’s economic diversification and knowledge-based development objectives. Tarik Sultan, general partner and head of MENA at Builders VC, said: “Bringing portfolio companies to Qatar is not simply about market expansion; it is about embedding high-growth innovators within a dynamic ecosystem that values partnership, local capability building, and shared long-term value creation. We see Qatar as a strategic gateway for scaling transformative technologies across the region.” In addition to the delegation of portfolio companies, Builders VC also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sidra Medicine at Web Summit Qatar 2026, aimed at strengthening collaboration in healthcare innovation, supporting the development of emerging medical technologies, and expanding partnership opportunities between medical research ecosystems and healthcare-focused venture investment. Builders VC has also expanded its local team with the addition of Fernanda Braz, director of Portfolio Growth & Expansion, MENA, and Yousef Azzam, Venture analyst, as part of its growing presence in Qatar, strengthening its on-the-ground capabilities to support portfolio collaboration and institutional engagement.