Art Basel makes its Qatar debut in Doha

Welcome to Al-Monitor Doha.

Doha shifts seamlessly between the global and the intimate. Art Basel arrives with a curatorial vision shaped for the city, while Match for Hope turns soccer into a platform for collective impact. Beyond the headline events, music fills Stadium 974, traditional rhythms return to Sealine, families gather at Heenat Salma and young learners step outdoors to explore the world around them. It’s a week that reflects a city comfortable hosting the world while remaining grounded in shared experiences closer to home.

If you want to receive this newsletter or our other new City Pulse editions — including Dubai, Istanbul and Riyadh — sign up here.

Thanks for reading,

Reve

P.S. Have feedback or tips on Doha's culture scene? Send them my way at contactus@al-monitor.com.

1. Leading the week: Art Basel

 M7 Msheireb Downtown Doha. (Photo courtesy of Art Basel)

There’s a moment when a city becomes something more than a point on a map. Art Basel Qatar debuts in Doha on Feb. 5-7, with preview days on Feb. 3-4, arriving not as an event imported wholesale but as something shaped specifically for this place. Art Basel’s fifth global fair brings 87 galleries from 31 countries and territories presenting 84 artist projects, with 16 galleries participating in an Art Basel fair for the first time. What makes this compelling isn’t just the numbers, but what they represent.

Under the curatorial direction of Egyptian-born artist Wael Shawky, the fair departs from the traditional booth model in favor of an open-format exhibition. Artist presentations respond to the central curatorial theme of Becoming. More than half of the participating artists hail from the MENA region, including Etel Adnan, Ali Banisadr, Simone Fattal, Ali Cherri, Meriem Bennani and Iman Issa.

The fair unfolds across M7 and the Doha Design District in downtown Msheireb, both recognized as key hubs for Qatar’s creative industries and contemporary cultural programming. This isn’t art confined to white walls and predictable layouts; it spills into public spaces, transforms buildings and invites visitors to move through it rather than observe from a distance.

The Special Projects program includes Bruce Nauman’s immersive 3D video installation at M7, Nalini Malani’s monumental outdoor projection on the M7 façade and Sumayya Vally’s evolving majlis, conceived as a living space for gathering and dialogue. International powerhouses like Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, David Zwirner and White Cube appear alongside regional voices making their Art Basel debut, including Hafez Gallery from Jeddah and Riyadh, Gallery Misr from Cairo, Le Violon Bleu from Tunis and Tabari Artspace from Dubai.

The fair aims to cultivate a sustainable contemporary art market in Doha while positioning Qatar as a global meeting point for culture, creativity and dialogue. The format itself reflects this ambition. Single-artist presentations encourage focus, while the theme of Becoming invites reflection on transformation, identity and the systems that shape how we live and create meaning.

Date: Feb. 5-7

Location: M7 and Doha Design District, Msheireb Downtown Doha

More details here.

2. Word on the street: Match for Hope 2026

Chunkz of England celebrates during Soccer Aid for Unicef 2023 at Old Trafford on June 11, 2023 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

How powerful is it to watch sport serve a purpose? Match for Hope returns to Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on Jan. 30 for its third edition, bringing together soccer legends and global content creators in what organizers are calling “The Final Showdown.” Over the past  two years, the event has  raised more than $19.5 million for Education Above All Foundation, supporting out-of-school children across Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sudan, Pakistan, Mali, Tanzania, Zanzibar and Qatar. This year promises to be the most impactful yet.

The lineup reads like a fusion of World Cup history and internet fame. Spanish legends David Silva and Andrés Iniesta join Italian icons Andrea Pirlo and Alessandro Del Piero, alongside Arsenal’s Thierry Henry and Qatar’s Mubarak Mustafa. They’ll share the pitch with content creators KSI, Chunkz, AboFlah and IShowSpeed, under the guidance of coaches Arsène Wenger and Mauricio Pochettino.

What makes Match for Hope compelling isn’t just the star power, it’s how the event has evolved into a full week of activities, including fan zones, live podcasts, sports competitions and a special halftime music performance. 

The 2024 edition drew 33,000 spectators and reached 22.5 million live viewers worldwide. This year’s final showdown between Team Chunkz and Team AboFlah — each having won one of the previous matches — adds genuine competitive stakes to the charitable mission. It’s the kind of event that proves sport can be both spectacle and substance, where every ticket purchased helps create educational opportunities for marginalized communities around the world.

Date: Jan. 30

Location: Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium

More details here.

3. Doha diary

Stadium 974 is a football stadium built in Doha, Qatar, for the 2022 FIFA (Getty Images)

• 25N 51E Music Festival

Electronic music takes over Stadium 974 as the 25N 51E Music Festival brings an open-air night of EDM to one of Doha’s most striking venues. Set against the waterfront, the festival leans into high-energy performances and large-scale production, offering a global club sound anchored firmly in the city’s evolving live music scene. It’s a one-night event designed for movement, lights and late hours.

Date: Jan. 30

Location: 974 stadium

More information here.

• Samri Night at Sealine Nights

Sealine Nights returns with a Samri-themed evening on Jan. 30, celebrating one of the Gulf’s most recognizable folk rhythms in a desert setting. The outdoor event blends live regional performances with an open-air atmosphere that unfolds gradually, drawing audiences into a shared, rhythmic experience rooted in heritage. The evening concludes with a fireworks display, closing on a celebratory note under the stars.

Date: Jan. 30

Location: Sealine Sports Arena – Mowater

More information here.

• Ramadan Bazaar 2026 at Heenat Salma

Heenat Salma’s Ramadan Bazaar continues through Feb. 1, offering a calm, family-friendly space centered on creativity, craft and seasonal traditions. Visitors can explore free activities such as a kids’ play zone and cinema, alongside hands-on workshops ranging from lantern making and calligraphy to pottery, palm weaving and candle making. The experience balances learning with leisure, encouraging visitors to slow down and engage with the spirit of the month through making and shared time.

Date: until Feb. 1

Location: Heenet Salma

More information here.

• Hadiqaa Field Trip

Designed with young learners in mind, the Hadiqaa Field Trip offers an outdoor learning experience that blends play with environmental awareness. The program introduces children to nature-based exploration through guided activities that encourage curiosity in a relaxed setting. It’s an outing that prioritizes discovery over structure, making learning feel intuitive rather than instructional.

Date: until April 30

Location: Rawdat Al-Khail

More information here.