GWC’s expert knowledge and world-leading facilities will help Qatar capitalise on hosting the FIFA World Cup™

One Year To GO

GWC leveraging Qatar’s hosting of the tournament as the country edges closer to achieving goals set out in National Vision 2030

Since 2004, GWC has overseen the development of world-class logistics infrastructure in Qatar. This footprint – including state-of-the-art facilities such as Qatar Logistics Village and Al Wukair Logistics Park – will help the country deliver the biggest sporting event in its history next year: the FIFA World Cup 2022™. These facilities will also play a vital role in helping the nation achieve the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030, which aims to create a diversified and sustainable knowledge economy.

In just over 15 years, GWC has become the leading provider of logistics and supply chain solutions in the country. The company offers a full spectrum of high-quality solutions across a range of sectors, including oil and gas, government, healthcare, retail, sporting events, FMCG and many more.

In 2020, GWC was named as the Official Logistics Provider for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ – an honour which illustrates the company’s knowledge and expertise, along with its commitment to innovation and always delivering solutions for its clients across the globe. To be trusted by FIFA to support its flagship international tournament is a source of great pride for GWC, as explained by its Chairman, Sheikh Abdulla bin Fahad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani.

“Being named the Official Logistics Provider for Qatar 2022^TM was a momentous occasion for us, demonstrating how far we’ve come since 2004,” he said. “Hard work, strong belief in our values and unwavering commitment to delivering for our clients helped us achieve this goal. As a company, we understand the challenges of logistics and the importance of working closely with clients to deliver the solutions they need. FIFA recognised this commitment, along with our dedication to training and innovation, and trusted us to play a key role in organising the biggest single sporting event on the planet – and the most prestigious sporting event ever to be held in the Middle East and Arab world.”

The infrastructure developed by GWC will help Qatar deliver a memorable FIFA World Cup™ in 2022. The country will host the most compact version of the tournament in modern history. All the stadiums are in close proximity of one another, with the longest distance between venues just 75km, from Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor to Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah. The stadiums and other tournament venues, including training sites, are also in close proximity to GWC’s nationwide logistics infrastructure, including numerous warehouses and vehicles, which are served by GWC’s state-of-the-art IT systems and thousands of dedicated employees, who have built up relevant experience during a host of sporting events, including the FIFA Club World Cup™, which Qatar hosted in both 2019 and 2021.

“The World Cup will be exciting and exhilarating – but after 18 December 2022, the focus will turn to the legacy of the tournament,” said GWC’s Group CEO, Ranjeev Menon. “We have a highly trained workforce and have developed world-leading systems across our business. Previous major events, such as the World Athletics Championships and FIFA Club World Cup, mean we stand ready and prepared for Qatar 2022 – which of course, is the cherry on the cake in terms of sporting events. However, the main goal for us – and the country generally – is Qatar National Vision 2030. One of the key legacy aspects of the World Cup will be economic – and this is where GWC comes in. We have already provided a logistics framework to support the country’s development and look forward to playing a key role in delivering a bright business future for Qatar for decades to come.”

Hosting the FIFA World Cup™ has accelerated a host of capital projects in Qatar. Stadiums and precincts have delivered key facilities in numerous communities. New expressways and public transport – such as Doha Metro – are making it easier to get around the country. Human development is also high on the agenda. The knowledge gained from hosting the tournament will make Qatar a global leader when it comes to organising sporting events, while the organisers have also promoted business and entrepreneurship. There is also a commitment to sustainability, tournament venues have been built to exacting environmental standards, while the event will be the first carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup™ in history.

And while Qatar has been busy preparing the ground for the tournament, GWC has been developing its vast infrastructure. The 1,000,000m² Qatar Logistics Village, strategically positioned between New Hamad Port and Hamad International Airport, offers globally-recognised supply chain solutions. Organised, structured, integrated and IT-enabled, Qatar Logistics Village was conceived and developed on a scale that has set new benchmarks in logistics infrastructure.

Another facility playing a vital role in the uplifting and diversification of Qatar’s economy is Al Wukair Logistics Park. This 1.5km² facility caters for a whole range of industries that require light industrial workshops, storage units and open yards, offering an ideal platform for established companies and new market entrants. Al Wukair is one of several facilities attracting business to the country, in tandem with Qatar’s commitment to offering a simple company formation process, which GWC is able to support.

“Our logistics footprint is attracting businesses of all sizes to Qatar, with our highly trained workforce, IT infrastructure, international HSE and quality standards; we can confidently state that GWC is doing everything in its power to help Qatar achieve the goals of its National Vision 2030” added Menon.