Overview

Since being announced as hosts of the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup, the construction industry has become one of the largest non-minerals industries in Qatar, accounting for 15 percent of GDP.  Over one and a half million World Cup spectators visited Qatar during the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup tournament. The country had quickly and steadily built a network of new hotels for guests and developed a state-of-the-art transportation system/infrastructure to meet tourists’ needs.  Qatar Rail opened its first metro line in May 2019 and then two additional lines with the entire network serving 37 stations. Several projects including hotels, transportation infrastructure, and stadiums that were delayed due to materials shortages and supply chain disruptions were completed just in time for the World Cup.

Construction Sector Prospects

The construction sector has shifted in Qatar following the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup, with slowdowns in projects in the non-residential and transportation infrastructure sub-sectors. However, industry experts are expecting moderate growth as large-scale projects like the buildout for Qatar Energy’s North Field LNG Expansion project ramp up and last until 2026.

The Qatari government’s adoption of a law governing public-private partnerships (PPPs) was signed by the Amir in May 2020. This PPP law is a positive signal for further opportunities to gain access to the country’s infrastructure sector, allowing a structure by which U.S. firms can access and develop public sector infrastructure development opportunities. This law lays the foundation to enhance and complement the development of additional new projects in Qatar, particularly those in support of the next phase of Qatar National Vision 2030, including but not limited to the construction of schools, telecommunications projects, and hospitals. Qatar is set to award projects that utilize the PPP mechanism with an estimated combined value of $85 billion by 2030.

Sub-Sector Best Prospects

• Building materials
• Engineering and architectural services
• Construction and project management services
• Specialized contractors and service providers for education and healthcare facilities.

Opportunities with Major Government Agencies and Quasi-Government Entities

• Ministry of Municipality
• Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
• Public Works Authority (Ashghal)
• Ministry of Transport
  • Qatar Rail
  • Hamad International Airport
  • Qatar Ports Management Company (Mwani)
• Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT)
• Qatari Diar/Lusail Real Estate Development Company
• Private Engineering Office
• Qatar Foundation
• Qatar Energy (formerly Qatar Petroleum)

The public and private sectors rely heavily on international expertise in the areas of architectural, construction, and engineering services, creating significant opportunities in this sector for U.S. firms.  U.S. firms are largely present in the design, project, and construction management/supervision services field. 

Largest Ongoing Infrastructure Projects

Hamad International Airport Phase 2 will extend the D and E concourses and increase the passenger capacity of the airport to more than 70 million passengers a year. Construction on this Phase 2 expansion commenced in January 2023.

Resources

Contact the Commercial Section of the U.S. Embassy in Doha.