Doha: The Local Organising Committee for Football Events has announced the Qatar Football Festival 2026, which will be held from March 26 to 31. The festival will feature the Finalissima Cup 2026 match, along with matches for four national teams - Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Serbia - as they prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This will allow them to assess their technical and competitive readiness before the highly anticipated global event.
According to Qatar News Agency, the six matches scheduled for the Qatar Football Festival include the Finalissima Cup 2026, which will be held at the iconic Lusail Stadium on March 27. The European champions, Spain, will face the South American champions, Argentina, in a highly anticipated clash between the continental champions. During the festival, the Egyptian national team will face Saudi Arabia at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium on March 26, while on the same day, Qatar will play Serbia at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.
On March 30, Egypt will meet Spain at Lusail Stadium, and Saudi Arabia will play Serbia at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium. On March 31, Qatar will face Argentina at Lusail Stadium. The Local Organizing Committee for the football events noted that a range of exclusive travel packages for fans from outside Qatar will be offered in collaboration with Visit Qatar and Qatar Airways, starting February 1, 2026. These packages will include airfare, accommodation, and match tickets. Ticket sales for fans will begin on February 25, 2026, via the website roadtoqatar.qa.
In this context, HE Minister of Sports and Youth and Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Thani said: "We look forward to welcoming players and fans from around the world as we prepare to host the world's biggest football stars ahead of the FIFA World Cup. We are honoured to open our doors once again to the global football community.' He added: 'Hosting the Qatar Football Festival reflects our commitment to delivering world-class experiences and reaffirms Qatar's position as a trusted partner in global football.'
Lusail Stadium holds a special place in the memory of world football, as it witnessed historical moments during major tournaments and embraced achievements for a number of national teams and players. It was the stadium where national teams and stars were crowned with world and continental titles, including moments in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, in addition to hosting continental finals and tournaments, the latest of which was the crowning of the Qatari national team with the title of the Asian Cup.