His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, inaugurated the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™ on Monday evening at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor City.
In a post on his official X account, HH the Amir welcomed Arab brothers to the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025, extending his best wishes to all participating teams. HH the Amir expressed his hope that Arab nations remain united in friendship, brotherhood and mutual respect, and that the tournament would continue to elevate football across the Arab world. He also congratulated the Palestinian national team on its victory in Monday’s opening match.
The opening ceremony was attended by HH Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Personal Representative of the Amir; HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani; HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani; HE Sheikh Jassim bin Khalifa Al Thani; HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs; along with a number of Their Excellencies the sheikhs and ministers.
The ceremony was also attended by Their Excellencies ministers and heads of delegations from Arab countries, together with Their Excellencies ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions accredited to the State, as well as presidents of football associations, representatives of governmental and non-governmental organisations, and guests of the tournament.
Qatar is hosting the FIFA Arab Cup for the second consecutive time under the umbrella of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), bringing together 16 Arab national teams from 1 to 18 December. The matches are taking place in the iconic stadiums developed for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, reflecting the tournament’s enduring legacy and Qatar’s world-class sport infrastructure that continues to benefit the State and the region.
The opening ceremony at Al Bayt Stadium welcomed more than 61,000 spectators, in a celebratory atmosphere that reflected the tournament’s significance to Arab audiences.
The ceremony showcased a series of artistic performances conveying the spirits of unity and peace shared among Arab nations. It also highlighted the role of sport in bringing people together, with visual performances that blended advanced audio-visual technologies with artistic and cultural expression and were enjoyed by fans in the stadium and millions watching around the world.
A special segment featured a collective performance weaving together parts of the national anthems of several Arab countries, delivering a message of pride in Arab identity. The segment began with the Qatari national anthem, “Swearing by God who raised the sky,” and concluded with the words, “Qatar will always be free, elevated by the souls of the loyal,” bringing the diverse audience together in a powerful moment of unity.
Hosting the tournament further affirms Qatar’s extensive capabilities in staging major international events, following its organisation of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025, the FIFA Arab Cup 2021, two editions of the FIFA Club World Cup in 2019 and 2020, the World Athletics Championships 2019 and the Doha 2006 Asian Games. Qatar is also preparing to host the second edition of the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2025 later this month.
Source: Amiri Diwan/GCO Qatar
