Doha Festival City
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedDoha Festival City is a large shopping, dining and entertainment complex in Umm Salal, north of Doha, Qatar.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Doha Festival City is a large-scale retail and entertainment complex located in Umm Salal, north of Doha, along Al Shamal Road. It is one of Qatar’s largest retail developments and combines shopping, dining, cinema, indoor and outdoor leisure, family attractions, and public transport connections in a single destination. The complex has been developed on a site of approximately 433,000 square metres and provides about 246,200 square metres of leasable space. The project was developed by Bawabat Al-Shamal Real Estate Company, commonly referred to as Basrec. The development company is described as a joint venture involving Dubai-based Al-Futtaim Real Estate Services and a private Qatari investor. The project was announced in the early 2010s, with construction beginning in 2011. Its first major phase opened in March 2013 and included Qatar’s first IKEA store, occupying approximately 32,000 square metres. This initial opening established the site as a significant destination before the main mall was completed. The larger shopping-mall phase reached completion in 2017. A soft opening took place on 5 April 2017, when the complex became the largest mall in Qatar according to contemporary descriptions. The formal grand opening followed in November 2018 with a VIP gala and a concert by American singer Jennifer Lopez. The opening sequence made Doha Festival City a prominent addition to Qatar’s modern retail infrastructure and positioned it as more than a conventional shopping centre. The mall contains more than 500 stores and over 100 food and beverage venues. Its tenant mix includes international fashion, beauty, sports, technology, home-improvement and automotive concepts, alongside major department-store and hypermarket anchors. Notable facilities include Qatar’s first Harvey Nichols department store, Monoprix, Ace Hardware, the NBA Store, IKEA, VOX Cinemas and a range of first-to-market or flagship-format stores such as Hermès Perfume and Beauty, Creed Boutique, Gold Apple Beauty Store, Disney Store, Alo Yoga, JD Sports, Audi City and a Tesla outlet. The dining offer includes restaurants, cafés, two major food-court areas and branded venues such as The Cheesecake Factory, Nando’s, Raising Cane’s, P.F. Chang’s, Jamie’s Italian, Ladurée and Yasmine Palace. Entertainment is central to the complex’s positioning. Its attractions include Virtuocity, an e-sports, gaming and virtual-reality centre; Angry Birds World, an indoor and outdoor family theme park developed with Rovio Entertainment; and Snow Dunes, an indoor snow-themed park that opened in 2019. VOX Cinemas operates an 18-screen complex with IMAX, 4DX, VIP Theatre by Rhodes screens and a children’s cinema. The site also includes a 3-kilometre outdoor leisure trail for walking, jogging and cycling. Doha Festival City has continued to broaden its role as a destination for retail, culture and experiential programming. In 2024 it worked with Harper’s Bazaar on fashion and beauty events that highlighted local creative talent and hosted international and regional participants. Its entertainment attractions were also recognised at the 2025 Global RLI Awards, with Virtuocity receiving an award for immersive attraction and experience and Angry Birds World receiving a commendation for an innovative retail and entertainment concept. The complex is accessible by road, bus and taxi and is connected to the wider Doha transport network through nearby Lusail and Legtaifiya metro stations.
History
Doha Festival City emerged from Qatar’s early-2010s expansion of large-scale retail and mixed-use infrastructure. The project was conceived as a destination development rather than a simple enclosed shopping centre, bringing together stores, restaurants, entertainment venues and leisure facilities on a large site along Al Shamal Road in Umm Salal, north of Doha. Development was undertaken by Bawabat Al-Shamal Real Estate Company, or Basrec, a joint venture involving Al-Futtaim Real Estate Services and a private Qatari investor. Construction began in 2011 on a site of approximately 433,000 square metres. The first major phase opened in March 2013 and included Qatar’s first IKEA store. The IKEA facility covered around 32,000 square metres and gave the site an important retail anchor before the wider mall was complete. This phased approach allowed Doha Festival City to begin operating while construction of the larger shopping and entertainment complex continued. The second and substantially larger phase was completed in 2017. A soft opening was held on 5 April 2017, and the development was described at that point as the largest mall in Qatar. The formal grand opening took place in November 2018 and included a VIP gala and a concert by American pop singer Jennifer Lopez. The opening established the complex as a major destination in Qatar’s retail market and expanded the country’s supply of large-format international shopping and entertainment venues. After the main mall opened, the development added leisure attractions in stages. Virtuocity introduced gaming, e-sports and virtual-reality experiences. Angry Birds World followed as an indoor and outdoor family attraction created in collaboration with Finland-based Rovio Entertainment and VOX Cinemas. Its indoor component opened in 2018, with outdoor attractions added in April 2019. Snow Dunes, described as Qatar’s first indoor snow-themed park, opened in August 2019 and further extended the complex’s all-season entertainment offer. The completed development provides approximately 246,200 square metres of leasable space, more than 500 stores and over 100 dining venues. The tenant mix spans department stores, hypermarkets, furniture, home improvement, fashion, beauty, sports, entertainment and automotive retail. Anchor and destination concepts include IKEA, Harvey Nichols, Monoprix, Ace Hardware, the NBA Store and VOX Cinemas. The complex has also hosted first-to-market or prominent formats for a number of international brands, helping it compete as a destination for both everyday shopping and premium or experiential retail. Entertainment and public-realm facilities have remained important to the project’s identity. VOX Cinemas operates 18 screens, including IMAX, Qatar’s first 4DX auditorium, VIP Theatre by Rhodes screens and a children’s cinema. The site also has a 3-kilometre outdoor leisure trail for jogging and cycling. Transport access includes nearby bus stops, taxi facilities, parking, bicycle parking and connections to the Doha metro network through Lusail QNB and Legtaifiya stations. In 2024, the complex expanded its cultural and promotional programming through a partnership with Harper’s Bazaar. Events included Emerging Voices, which worked with VCUarts Qatar, M7 and Scale 7 to showcase local creatives, and Front Row Live, a three-day program of masterclasses, runway shows and panel discussions. In 2025, Virtuocity and Angry Birds World received recognition at the Global RLI Awards, reinforcing Doha Festival City’s positioning as a combined retail, leisure and entertainment destination rather than a purely transactional mall.
- 2025
Entertainment attractions receive Global RLI recognition
[1]Virtuocity won an immersive-attraction award and Angry Birds World received a commendation for an innovative retail and entertainment concept.
- 2024
Harper's Bazaar fashion and beauty series
[1]The complex hosted a series of fashion and beauty events with Harper’s Bazaar between September and November.
- 2019
Outdoor attractions and Snow Dunes added
[1]Outdoor attractions at Angry Birds World opened in April, and Snow Dunes debuted in August as an indoor snow-themed park.
- 2018
Grand opening and expansion of entertainment offer
[1]The official grand opening took place in November with a gala and Jennifer Lopez concert. The indoor portion of Angry Birds World also opened during this period.
- 2017
Main mall phase completed
[1]The larger shopping-mall phase was completed, followed by a soft opening on 5 April.
- 2013
First phase opens with IKEA
[1]The first phase opened in March and included Qatar’s first IKEA store, covering approximately 32,000 square metres.
- 2011
Construction begins
[1]Construction started on the Doha Festival City project on a site of approximately 433,000 square metres in Umm Salal.
Products and positioning
A destination retail and entertainment complex combining large-scale shopping, international dining, cinema, family attractions, gaming, fashion events and outdoor leisure in one Qatar-based development.
Shopping centre · 2017
Retail mall
The core Doha Festival City mall provides approximately 246,200 square metres of leasable space and more than 500 stores. Its tenant mix covers fashion, beauty, sports, home improvement, furniture, electronics, automotive, department-store and hypermarket retail. The complex combines mass-market and premium brands with destination concepts intended to attract both routine shoppers and visitors seeking specialist or first-to-market stores.
Dining · 2017
Dining and food-and-beverage venues
Doha Festival City contains more than 100 dining venues distributed across restaurants, cafés, food courts and food offerings within anchor stores. Reported venues include Raising Cane’s, Nando’s, The Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang’s, Jamie’s Italian, Yasmine Palace and Ladurée, alongside options in the Monoprix hypermarket.
Theme park and family entertainment · 2018
Angry Birds World
Angry Birds World is an indoor and outdoor family attraction developed with Rovio Entertainment and VOX Cinemas. The indoor component opened in 2018, while the outdoor attractions followed in April 2019. The concept extends the Angry Birds intellectual property into an experiential venue within the wider retail complex.
Gaming and e-sports
Virtuocity
Virtuocity is a gaming, e-sports and virtual-reality centre designed as an immersive entertainment attraction. It forms part of Doha Festival City’s strategy of combining shopping with interactive leisure and was recognised in 2025 at the Global RLI Awards for immersive attraction and experience.
Indoor snow park · 2019
Snow Dunes
Snow Dunes is an approximately 9,500-square-metre indoor snow-themed park. It opened in August 2019 and added a climate-controlled winter experience to the complex’s portfolio of family and leisure attractions.
Cinema
VOX Cinemas
The VOX Cinemas complex has 18 screens and includes IMAX, Qatar’s first 4DX theatre, VIP Theatre by Rhodes screens and a cinema designed for children. It provides a major entertainment anchor within Doha Festival City and supports the development’s evening and family-oriented positioning.
Marketing campaigns
- 2024Harper's Bazaar fashion and beauty series
Qatar
Doha Festival City partnered with Harper’s Bazaar from September to November for fashion and beauty programming. Emerging Voices, developed with VCUarts Qatar, M7 and Scale 7, presented local creative work, while Front Row Live included masterclasses, runway shows and panel discussions.
Outcome. The series broadened the complex’s programming beyond retail promotions by connecting the mall with local creative institutions and fashion and beauty personalities.
Brand decisions
2019
Expand the leisure portfolio with outdoor attractions and Snow DunesProduct launchBackground
Following the opening of the main mall and indoor attractions, Doha Festival City continued to add all-season leisure experiences.
Action taken
Outdoor Angry Birds World attractions opened in April, followed by Snow Dunes in August.
Aftermath
The complex added outdoor family activities and an indoor snow-themed park to its entertainment offer.
2018
Add branded entertainment attractionsProduct launchBackground
The project’s positioning depended on attractions that could extend visitor activity beyond shopping.
Action taken
Virtuocity and the indoor portion of Angry Birds World were introduced in stages, alongside the official grand opening of the mall in November.
Aftermath
The complex strengthened its identity as a combined retail, family entertainment and experiential destination.
2017
Open the main shopping-mall phaseProduct launchBackground
The second and larger phase was completed after the initial IKEA-led opening.
Action taken
Doha Festival City held a soft opening on 5 April 2017 and began operating the principal mall facilities.
Aftermath
The development was described as Qatar’s largest mall at the time and expanded the project into a broad retail and leisure destination.
2013
Launch the first development phase with IKEAProduct launchBackground
The wider mall was still under development, but the project required an operating anchor and an early customer destination.
Action taken
The initial phase opened in March with Qatar’s first IKEA store, occupying approximately 32,000 square metres.
Aftermath
The site began operating as a major retail destination before completion of the main shopping mall.
2011
Proceed with phased mixed-use retail and entertainment developmentStrategyBackground
The project was conceived as a large destination development combining shopping, dining, entertainment and leisure rather than as a single-purpose retail facility.
Action taken
Basrec began construction on the approximately 433,000-square-metre site and implemented the project in phases.
Aftermath
The first IKEA-led phase opened in 2013, followed by the main mall and broader entertainment offer in later years.
Recent events
Reported
Doha Festival City announces weekend super sale[2]
Doha Festival City announced its Friday Super Sale Weekend, scheduled for November 27–30, 2019, with offers from more than 100 retailers and restaurants and discounts of up to 70% at some stores.
Weekdays and relative dates follow the original report; their exact calendar dates have not been verified.
Sources2 sources
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