Since the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar has been at the forefront of innovation and sustainability, with initiatives aimed at improving residents’ quality of life. 2025 was no different. From inaugural events like UFC and Triathlon Final, to revolutionary 3D printing and AI programs, all while keeping the project’s environmental impact in mind, here’s everything that happened in Qatar this year.

If you thought 3D printers were only capable of crafting jewelry and board game pieces, Qatar is way ahead of you. In June 2025, UCC Holding, in partnership with Ashghal, launched the biggest rapid manufacturing project yet: 3D-Printed Schools. 

This venture is the world’s largest construction scheme that uses 3D printing and will involve the building of fourteen public schools, with two of them being created in full using 3D printing technology. The area will encompass 40,000 square meters, and the design will incorporate flowing, organic forms, which are almost impossible to achieve with regular building methods.

The project is a result of eight months of testing by Doha’s experts and would utilize printers that are around 15 meters high, 30 meters wide, and 50 meters long — the largest ever built. It’s projected to be completed by the end of 2025 or early 2026.

What this means for you: Schools will likely start getting built faster, which could mean less overcrowding and shorter commutes. Also, considering that currently 208 schools serve more than 196.000 students, this project will bring education to over 13.000 students.

Major changes are underway as Qatar’s Public Works Authority, Ashghal, launches its biggest infrastructure undertaking in terms of project number and investment size. Formally referred to as Ashghal’s Five-Year Plan for 2025–2029, its budget is estimated at QAR 81 billion. 

This program includes projects that connect residential areas to the highway, meaning it will consist of over fifty transport schemes and more than eighty highway systems. Furthermore, Qatar residents will feel the changes as soon as next year, as the current infrastructure will begin to modernize to improve mobility and safety, as well as reduce travel times.

As Ashghal notes, a huge part of the plan is to create advanced rainwater and sewage drainage systems, which would consist of tunnels and pumping stations to reduce flooding. This part of the project has already begun. Sustainability is another major focus, with plans of reusing water for irrigation and cooling: one of the biggest drainage projects in Doha to date. 

What this means for you: Better roads lead to shorter commute times and a lower chance of closed roads for maintenance in the future.

In alignment with the Qatar National Vision 2030 and National Health Strategy, which aim to modernize society and increase life expectancy, the state entered a new era of healthcare. Specifically, Al-Ahli Hospital and three other private hospitals partnered with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) to address the ongoing challenges of reducing wait times without compromising the quality of care. 

This partnership basically means less pressure for HMC, which will be able to transfer routine cases and focus on emergency and specialized care using patient referrals. Aside from being a step towards more efficient and better treatments, this collaboration could also optimize healthcare spending and attract private investments. 

What this means for you: Long term — shorter queues, better quality care, and maybe even less paperwork!

Another innovation in the Middle East: November 2025 marked the successful launch of pilotless air taxi flights in Doha. The flights started from the Port of Doha and ended in the Katara Cultural Village — two major landmarks in Qatar, and reduced a 30-minute car trip to just 8 minutes of air time. 

The flight was conducted by the eVTOL aircraft, and it’s the first-ever pilotless taxi of this kind in the Middle East, showcasing Qatar’s readiness to embrace new technology and explore different methods of transportation, bypassing road congestion. The aircraft was created by EHang in partnership with the Ministry of Transport. 

What this means for you: Imagine not shortening your commute but removing traffic completely! Well, air taxis are as close to a dream scenario as it gets.

UFC, a leading martial arts organization, organized its first event in Qatar on November 22. This milestone was brought in collaboration with Visit Qatar.

The performance of the night was Tsarukyan vs Hooker, and the main card featured five other fights. Ticket prices started from QAR 130 and were fully sold out days prior. While no information for future events is available, viewers praised production quality and event organization, and the matches went smoothly, so UFC fans can expect more fights soon. 

What this means for you: Probably more crowds during fight nights, but, on the upside, it’s more money for the town and local establishments. Also, picture your kid watching an UFC champion during open workouts — if that doesn’t make him fall in love with sports…

For the first time ever, Qatar hosted the T100 Triathlon World Championship Final, a partnership between the Professional Triathletes Organisation, World Triathlon, Qatar Triathlon Federation, and Visit Qatar. This event marked a new beginning in the country’s athletic world, as Lusail will be the home of triathlon finals for the next five years. 

The final is actually a multisport festival weekend, with various activities people can sign up for, including a 100 km triathlon (swimming, cycling, running), duathlon (running and cycling), sprint triathlon, and various biking and running events. The cheapest ticket was around QAR 200. 

What this means for you: A long weekend filled with sports activities and a chance to see triathlon champions do their thing in person.

Simaisma Beach is among the most beautiful seaside escapes for Qataris, located just 40 km from Doha. But visitors often complained about the lack of parking, accessibility, and amenities around it. This is about to change, as in June of 2025, Qatari Diar commenced a five-year redevelopment of the beach called the Simaisma Project.

The area will span eight million square meters and extend along seven kilometers of beachfront. It would feature multiple resorts, residential villas, golf courses, including the Trump International Golf Club, and a theme park. 

Aside from investment and tourism opportunities, the project is marked with notable sustainability efforts. Namely, it will rely on local and recycled materials, the latest environmental technologies available in construction, and smart building systems. 

What this means for you: A perfect weekend getaway just 20 minutes from Doha — days filled with activities not just for your kids but also for you, your parents, and even your grandparents!

Qatar’s long-term goal, as showcased in Qatar National Vision 2030, was to adopt renewable energy solutions and accelerate energy transition sustainably. So, September 2025 marked the beginning of one of the largest solar undertakings globally. Namely, the state-owned QatarEnergy signed an agreement with Samsung’s C&T Corp to build a 2-GW solar project in Dukhan. The venture is expected to double Qatar’s solar power capacity and power up to 750,000 households by 2030.

The site will span over 27 square kilometers and be equipped with 2.74 million solar panels. It will be supplied with advanced inverters capable of sustaining Qatar’s extreme climate and a solar tracking system, which will follow the sun’s trails to optimize the generation of power.

What this means for you: Clean energy = greener Qatar. Moreover, in the long run, projects like this should keep the power grid more stable during the hottest months.

In 2018, Hamad International Airport (HIA) began a huge expansion project with the aim of increasing its capacity to more than 65 million passengers. The challenge was successfully completed in March 2025 with the opening of concourses D and E. The terminal area is now 14% larger and covers 845,000 square meters. Moreover, the additional concourses increased the number of boarding gates by 17, meaning the HIA now has 62 gates in total! 

The construction met GSAS 4-star certifications and LEED Gold sustainability standards, honoring Qatar’s environmental efforts. The new concourses rely on smart technology and automated boarding systems, which means boarding processes are now much quicker.

What this means for you: Faster boarding, fewer crowds, more flights, and more places to rest, eat, and shop!

As the use of artificial intelligence increases, so do its benefits in essential resident areas. Among the key aspects of the National Health Strategy in Qatar was a digital healthcare transformation, so Hamad Medical Corporation and a few other providers started the process of integrating AI into their monitoring systems this year. 

The main goal of this undertaking is to ensure data-driven quality improvement and patient-centered care. The AI is supposed to enhance early detection for cases where changes in vital signs aren’t clinically apparent, and improve the prediction of potential complications based on the analysis of historical patient records. In the future, hospitals can expect more efficient care and warning sign spotting. 

What this means for you: Faster and more accurate results, better chances of predicting sickness.

From December 16 to December 20, the Doha Tattoo Organizing Committee will host the first-ever Doha International Music and Marching Festival in Katara Cultural Village. If you’re unfamiliar with military traditions, the name festival might confuse you. No, there is no ink involved in this event — the name comes from an old European military tradition marking the time soldiers have to return to their quarters.

Spectators will enjoy music and marching performances from the Ministries of Defence and Interior, the Ministry of Culture, the Amiri Guard, and the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra. The event will also feature international guests: United States Air Force Honor Guard, Irish Guards, Royal Air Force Music Services, Turkish Ottoman Mehter Band, Kazakh Central Military Band, Jordanian Armed Forces Band, and the Royal Guard of Oman Band.

Performances will be a blend of military artistry and international music, combining global influences with authentic Qatari heritage. 

What this means for you: A fun night out that honors Qatar’s heritage and allows you to watch marching bands from around the world!