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Ooredoo, Qatar’s leading telecommunications provider, on Wednesday hosted a press conference for the Doha Marathon by Ooredoo 2026 at its Headquarters, highlighting Early Bird registration with special group discounts and reaffirming the marathon’s continuous partnership with global sportswear leader New Balance. Now in its 14th edition, the marathon is set to take place on Friday, 16 January 2026, and is expected to welcome more than 20,000 runners from around the world, further cementing its position as one of the region’s most prestigious sporting events.The collaboration with New Balance, now in its second consecutive year as official footwear and apparel partner, is part of a three-year agreement that continues to elevate the profile of Qatar’s premier road race.As part of the conference, Ooredoo Qatar and New Balance also recognised three outstanding Qatari athletes — Abdullah al-Musalam, Lolwa al-Marri, and Rabaa al-Msleh — who have been awarded the chance to compete in the renowned TCS New York City Marathon 2025. This milestone reflects the joint commitment of both organisations to celebrating local talent and showcasing Qatar’s athletes on the international stage.Commenting on the occasion, Sabah Rabiah al-Kuwari, Vice Chairman of the Doha Marathon by Ooredoo Committee and Senior Director Marketing Communications at Ooredoo Qatar, said: “The Doha Marathon by Ooredoo has grown into one of the most anticipated sporting events in the region, bringing together thousands of runners from around the world. We are delighted to continue our collaboration with New Balance, whose expertise and innovation help us set new benchmarks for the event year after year. It was also an honour to recognise our Qatari athletes today, as we remain committed to empowering local talent and promoting Qatar as a hub for sporting excellence.”Stuart Henwood, Senior Director for Middle East, Africa & India (MEAI) at New Balance, added: “At New Balance, we believe running has the power to bring people together and create lasting change. Our continued partnership with the Doha Marathon by Ooredoo reflects our commitment to supporting the region’s thriving running community and empowering athletes at every level through our Run Your Way campaign. We are especially proud to celebrate Qatari talent by giving Abdullah, Lulwa, and Rabaa the opportunity to represent their country and region on the world stage at the TCS New York City Marathon 2025, a true embodiment of our philosophy to champion individuality and inspire runners everywhere.”Holding the World Athletics Gold Label and ranking among the top 25 marathons globally, the marathon promises to deliver another memorable experience that embodies health, determination, and unity.Early bird registration is now open, with discounted rates available and a 25% discount for groups of four or more.

Ooredoo and Qatar Airways have announced a strategic partnership to enhance Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud, and Cybersecurity capabilities in Qatar.The signing of the “landmark” Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reaffirms a partnership that has spanned 15 years of co-innovation.The latest collaboration aims to leverage the combined expertise of the two industry leaders to drive innovation and accelerate digital transformation at national and regional levels.This partnership will facilitate the creation of a national AI hub, delivering state-of-the-art infrastructure, advanced tools, and robust data security frameworks.By aligning with Qatar’s long-term vision for technological leadership and economic diversification, Ooredoo and Qatar Airways are laying the foundation for an intelligent, AI-driven future.A key aspect of this collaboration is the investment in local talent. Through targeted training and upskilling programmes, the partnership will nurture the next generation of AI, Cloud, and Cybersecurity professionals, support sustainable development, and reinforce Qatar’s leadership in technological excellence.Further underscoring its commitment, Ooredoo’s investment in the NVIDIA GPU platform, a cutting-edge solution, was operationalised in July 2025. This platform will provide businesses, government entities, and developers with unprecedented high-performance processing capabilities, enabling them to innovate with greater speed and effectiveness.Sheikh Ali Bin Jabor al-Thani, Chief Executive Officer, at Ooredoo, said, “At Ooredoo, we are committed to unleashing AI's transformative power to enhance human potential and redefine what's achievable. This strategic alliance with Qatar Airways merges our respective expertise to position Qatar as a global leader in AI advancement and digital innovation.“We take pride in spearheading this visionary initiative toward a comprehensively digitally empowered future where advanced technology drives growth.”Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Badr Mohammed al-Meer, said, “Leveraging technology to drive innovation has been a cornerstone of Qatar Airways digital strategy. We have already implemented a wide-range of AI applications across our operations, with additional opportunities in the pipeline to elevate the customer experience, empower our workforce and improve operational efficiencies.”“Through this partnership, we are proud to advance Qatar Airways role as a national AI champion by sharing our practical experience of such implementation at scale. This collaboration supports the wider national ambition to accelerate AI adoption across various sectors and together we are setting new benchmarks for excellence across multiple industries.”By integrating Ooredoo’s AI infrastructure with Qatar Airways’ operational and technology expertise, this partnership will enable the delivery of more innovative and connected experiences across telecommunications, aviation, and beyond.It reflects a shared commitment to building a knowledge-based, technology-driven economy and reaffirms Qatar’s position as a regional leader in digital innovation.