Qatar Airways welcomed Al-Ahli Saudi FC and FC Barcelona teams to Doha, in preparation for the sold-out Match of Champions to be held at Al Gharrafa Stadium this evening. Both teams arrived at Doha International Airport and quickly entered pre-match mode, with player practices. The teams are scheduled to warm up at the stadium at 17:50.

Qatar Airways, official airline of both teams, is a primary sponsor of this evening’s Match of Champions, designed to bring two of the world’s greatest football clubs to Doha for an exhibition match for the airline’s hometown fans. The match has proven to be extremely popular, with fans travelling from across the GCC and all corners of the world to attend.

Doors open at 16:30 today, and opening ceremonies start at 17:30, with a demonstration by freestylers from around the world who won a Qatar Airways social media contest, to show off their best moves. The contest winners will be accompanied by a performance from world champion freestyler Pawel Skora and Yassine Abderrahim.

Opening ceremonies continue with a performance by Phoenix Fire and Light Dance Group, the acclaimed creators of the Baku Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony and Sochi Olympics Closing Ceremony.

A special musical performance from Fahad Al Kubaisi at 18:45 will pay homage to Qatar National Day, followed by a spectacular fireworks show before the match starts at 19:00.

Qatar Airways Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Marketing, Ms. Salam Al Shawa, said: “We set out to design a complete experience for our friends and neighbours in Qatar, to truly celebrate the global sponsorships Qatar Airways is proud to have cultivated, and to thank our home country for their support since the airline was founded 19 years ago. We look forward to the match, and wish both teams all the best. We hope everyone attending or watching the match enjoys this unique, only-in-Qatar experience with these two magnificent world-record teams.”

This year, Al-Ahli Saudi FC won the Saudi Professional League – the first time in 32 years. The club won the Saudi Super Cup and the King Cup, and came runner-up in the Crown Prince Cup. Meanwhile, FC Barcelona won their 23rd La Liga title this year, the Copa del Rey and they are the reigning champions of the Fifa Club World Cup. The club won the treble in the 2014/2015 season – La Liga, Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions League titles.

In October 2014, Qatar Airways announced a sponsorship agreement for three seasons with Al-Ahli Saudi FC. Earlier this year, Qatar Airways extended its FC Barcelona sponsorship for another season, with the deal running until July 2017.

(Qatar Airways Press Release)