- Qatar Airways prominently branded at Euro 2024 venues in Germany, showcasing Qatar’s ongoing commitment to football despite controversies.
- Qatar’s strategic use of football extends beyond sports, serving as a national branding exercise to enhance global visibility and attract tourists.
- The presence of Qatari branding in German stadiums sparks debate, reflecting both Qatar’s investment in global sports and concerns over its human rights record.
- Qatar Airways’ partnership with UEFA for Euro 2024, announced discreetly, contrasts with previous high-profile sponsorships, signalling a cautious approach.
- Regional competition in Middle Eastern aviation, with Qatar expanding Hamad International Airport amid Saudi Arabia’s plans for the world’s largest airport in Riyadh.
- Public outcry over Qatar’s human rights practices, influencing decisions like Bayern Munich’s termination of a sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways.
- Qatar’s football strategy post-2022 World Cup focuses on hosting major events and maintaining influence through figures like PSG’s Nasser Al-Khelaifi in European football governance.
As fans gather at the European Championship venues in Germany, they might feel a sense of déjà vu reminiscent of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The branding of “Qatar Airways” is prominently displayed in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, both in the dugouts and around the perimeter. Fan parks in Berlin and Munich feature “Doha Club” setups, offering a taste of a modern beach club atmosphere in the city, courtesy of Visit Qatar, the country’s tourism body.
Qatar Airways is the official carrier for Euro 2024, signalling Qatar’s unwavering commitment to football.
Despite the controversies surrounding its human rights record, Qatar remains deeply involved in the sport and continues to expand its global influence. This highlights Qatar Airways’ role as UEFA’s official carrier for Euro 2024.
Continued Involvement in Football
Qatar’s involvement in football hasn’t waned since it hosted the World Cup nearly two years ago. The visibility in Germany is part of a broader strategy, with the United Kingdom’s broadcaster ITV promoting Visit Qatar prominently in its advertising breaks, further increasing the country’s exposure.
However, this partnership comes amid controversy. Last summer, Germany’s top club Bayern Munich ended a five-year sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways following criticism over Qatar’s human rights record, particularly concerning the LGBTQ+ community and migrant worker mistreatment.
The public outcry over these issues also marred the build-up to the World Cup, with Germany’s players making a symbolic protest by covering their mouths during a pre-match photo against Japan, in response to FIFA’s banning of the “One Love” armband.
Mixed Reactions in Germany
The presence of Qatari advertising in Germany’s iconic football stadiums presents a complex picture. On one hand, it represents Qatar’s continued investment in global sports; on the other, it raises uncomfortable questions for both the hosts and Qatar itself.
Qatar’s Broader Ambitions
Qatar’s efforts to attract tourists and boost its national carrier, Qatar Airways, tie into a massive infrastructure project at Hamad International Airport in Doha, which includes a new terminal and two new runways. This development plan was revealed in 2019 and it underscores Qatar’s ambition to remain a key player in global aviation.
In a competitive regional context, Saudi Arabia plans to construct the world’s largest airport in Riyadh by 2030, with Riyadh Air (backed by the Public Investment Fund controlling Premier League club Newcastle United) becoming Atletico Madrid’s shirt sponsor in a significant deal.
Meanwhile, Dubai, which already boasts the world’s busiest airport for international travel, announced a $35 billion plan to double its airport’s size.
Regional Competition and Strategic Moves
A professor of sport and geopolitical economy, Simon Chadwick notes that Qatar’s airport development is crucial amid these regional moves. The race to control Middle Eastern skies likely influenced UEFA’s decision to name Qatar Airways as its official carrier for Euro 2024.
However, UEFA’s quiet announcement of this partnership, just hours before the tournament started, and the sparse mention on its website, suggest a cautious approach.
Contrastingly, before Euro 2020, UEFA openly celebrated Qatar Airways as a sponsor months in advance. UEFA described the partnership as a continuation from a deal brokered four years prior, now featuring the “Visit Qatar” brand, first visible during the 2023 Nations League finals.
Qatar Airways, on its website, highlighted this commitment to bringing fans to Germany and expanding its operations to Hamburg.
Chadwick asserts that Qatar needs to continually prove its legitimacy as a global community member, with Nick McGeehan, a former Gulf researcher for Human Rights Watch, framing Qatar’s football investments as a nation branding exercise.
McGeehan draws parallels with Emirates’ sponsorship of major clubs like Real Madrid, AC Milan, Arsenal, and Benfica, noting the effectiveness of such sponsorships in maintaining a positive spotlight without the intense scrutiny of hosting a tournament.
Qatar’s Persistent Presence in Football
Nearly two years after hosting the World Cup, Qatar’s influence in football is still visible. Qatar Airways’ partnership with UEFA extends to perimeter advertising and branding at major venues.
In addition, the tourism body Visit Qatar has set up “Doha Clubs” in fan parks, offering fans a taste of Qatari culture. This strategy aims to attract visitors to Qatar and boost its tourism sector.
The UK broadcaster ITV has also been promoting Visit Qatar in its advertising breaks, further enhancing the country’s visibility. This ongoing promotion highlights Qatar’s strategic use of football to maintain a positive international profile and attract tourists.
Controversial Associations and Public Outcry
However, Qatar’s continued involvement in football is not without controversy. Last summer, Bayern Munich, Germany’s biggest football club, ended its five-year partnership with Qatar Airways.
This decision came amid criticism over Qatar’s human rights record, particularly regarding the LGBTQ+ community and the mistreatment of migrant workers.
Public criticism of Qatar’s human rights practices dominated the lead-up to the 2022 World Cup. The German national team made a notable protest by covering their mouths during a pre-match photo against Japan, criticizing FIFA’s ban on the “One Love” armband.
This act underscored the tension between Qatar’s desire to promote itself through football and the global scrutiny of its human rights record.
Strategic Infrastructure Development
Qatar’s drive to attract visitors goes hand-in-hand with substantial infrastructure development. Hamad International Airport in Doha is undergoing significant expansion, with a new terminal and two additional runways. This project, part of a blueprint revealed in 2019, aims to position Qatar as a major global aviation hub.
In the competitive Middle Eastern aviation market, Qatar faces challenges from regional rivals. Saudi Arabia plans to build the world’s largest airport in Riyadh by 2030.
Riyadh Air, a new airline launched in March 2023 and backed by the Public Investment Fund controlling Newcastle United, has already secured a major sponsorship deal with Atletico Madrid.
Dubai, already boasting the world’s busiest airport for international travel, announced a $35 billion expansion plan to double its airport’s capacity. These regional developments underscore the intense competition for dominance in the Middle Eastern aviation sector.
UEFA’s Quiet Partnership Announcement
UEFA’s decision to partner with Qatar Airways for Euro 2024 was announced just seven hours before the tournament began, reflecting a cautious approach.
The partnership is mentioned briefly on UEFA’s website, contrasting with the extensive publicity preceding Euro 2020, when UEFA proudly announced Qatar Airways as its sponsor months in advance.
This partnership continuation initially brokered four years ago, now features the “Visit Qatar” brand, which became visible during the 2023 Nations League finals.
Qatar Airways highlighted its commitment to bringing fans to Germany and expanding its operations to Hamburg, signalling its dedication to maintaining a global presence through strategic partnerships.
Nation Branding Through Sports Sponsorship
Simon Chadwick, a professor of sport and geopolitical economy, emphasizes that Qatar’s investments in football are part of a broader nation branding exercise.
Nick McGeehan, a former Gulf researcher for Human Rights Watch, explains that Qatar Airways has learned from Emirates’ successful sponsorship model, which includes high-profile partnerships with clubs like Real Madrid, AC Milan, Arsenal, and Benfica.
By sponsoring major football events and clubs, Qatar aims to maintain a positive spotlight without the intense scrutiny that comes with hosting a tournament.
This strategy allows Qatar to promote itself on the global stage while mitigating the risks associated with direct hosting responsibilities.
Comparison with Saudi Arabia’s Football Strategy
Since the World Cup, Qatar’s approach to football has been relatively subdued compared to Saudi Arabia’s aggressive relaunch of its domestic competition, the Saudi Pro League.
The Saudi Pro League has attracted high-profile European players like Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, and Jordan Henderson.
Despite challenges related to attendance, infrastructure, and playing standards, Saudi Arabia’s ambition in football is undeniable.
Qatar, meanwhile, has continued to achieve success on the field. Despite losing all three matches at the World Cup, Qatar won the Asian Cup this year as hosts.
This victory demonstrates Qatar’s ongoing commitment to football and its determination to succeed in international competitions.
Influence and Ambitions
Qatar wields significant influence in European football through figures like Paris Saint Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who holds key positions in Qatar Sports Investments and the European Club Association (ECA) and sits on UEFA’s Executive Committee.
However, Chadwick believes that hosting events is more critical to Qatar than directly influencing football, given its small population of three million, of which only 10 percent are Qatari.
In contrast, Saudi Arabia’s football connection runs deeper culturally, with a substantial portion of its 40 million population engaged with the sport. This cultural engagement gives Saudi Arabia a broader base of support for its football initiatives.
Qatar’s Strategic Position
Since the World Cup, Qatar has taken a more subdued approach compared to Saudi Arabia’s aggressive relaunch of its domestic competition, the Saudi Pro League, which attracted high-profile European players. Despite some issues with attendance, infrastructure, and playing standards, Saudi Arabia’s ambition in football is undeniable.
Qatar’s performance at the World Cup was underwhelming, losing all three matches, yet the country won the Asian Cup as hosts this year, showing resilience and continued ambition.
Qatar wields significant influence in European football, with Paris Saint Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi holding key positions in both Qatar Sports Investments and the European Club Association (ECA), and sitting on UEFA’s Executive Committee.
Chadwick believes hosting events is more critical to Qatar than influencing football itself, given its small population of three million, of which only 10 percent are Qatari.
In contrast, Saudi Arabia’s football connection runs deeper culturally, with a substantial portion of its 40 million population engaged with the sport.
Long-Term Strategic Goals
The 2022 World Cup was part of a broader strategy to drive national development in Qatar, resulting in new airports, highways, shopping malls, and hotels. Qatar now seeks to leverage these facilities by bidding for more events, positioning itself as a premier event host.
Qatar has already launched a bid to host the 2036 Olympics after previous unsuccessful bids for the 2016 and 2020 Summer Games. Nasser Al Khori, director of Qatar’s supreme committee for the World Cup’s legacy, hinted at more ambitions in the pipeline, including hosting the Asian Cup and the Web Summit, a major tech conference, in the Middle East for the first time.
Qatar is also involved in Formula One and aims to expand into basketball, martial arts, and rugby. Al Khori emphasises that the World Cup was just a milestone in Qatar’s broader strategy to become a leading event host.
Altogether, Qatar Airways’ contract with UEFA, running until 2030, raises questions about future regional dynamics, especially when Qatar’s branding appears at English grounds of clubs owned by Abu Dhabi (Manchester City) and Saudi Arabia (Newcastle) during the UK and Ireland’s Euro 2028.
The use of football for geopolitical ends by Gulf superpowers shows no signs of abating. Qatar’s strategic investments, infrastructural developments, and hosting ambitions underscore its commitment to maintaining a prominent global presence, leveraging football as a critical platform for its national branding and international influence.
