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Media City Qatar has been ranked in the top 20 Best Workplaces in Media, Advertising and Marketing™ in the Middle East by Great Place to Work®, which recognizes companies that are building the best workplace cultures in the world.
The recognition is part of Great Place to Work®’s annual Best Workplaces ranking, published each year to highlight organizations building strong workplace cultures. It is based on the largest collection of employee experiences from the Best Workplaces survey in the region, assessing trust, leadership, innovation, and overall workplace experience, as well as how organizations foster environments where employees can thrive.
Only organizations that have first achieved Great Place to Work® certification are eligible for consideration, and the annual ranking features only the top 20 companies selected from hundreds of eligible organizations.
Hamad Omar A. Al-Mannai, CEO of Media City Qatar, said the recognition is a result of continued investment in the organization’s culture over time. “As we have grown, we have stayed focused on creating an environment where our people and partners can do their best work,” he said. “It is reflected in how teams collaborate, how partnerships take shape, and how ideas are given space to develop.”
Al-Mannai added that this culture is reflected in the organization’s core values and in how they are lived out day to day. “Our values of Excellence, Partnership, and Innovation are visible in how we work every day; in the decisions we make, the way we collaborate across teams, and how we support the continued development of Qatar’s media ecosystem,” he said.
This is Media City Qatar’s second workplace recognition, following last year’s certification as a Great Place to Work®. It comes at a time of continued organizational growth and the expansion of the wider media ecosystem it supports. “Today, our staff is growing, and we support a community of more than 500 local and international licensed companies operating across four priority areas: Gaming & Interactive, Screen, Broadcast & Music, Tech, Digital & Social, and Agencies & Support Services,” Al-Mannai noted.
That growth has been matched by continued investment in how people experience the workplace. In fall 2025, Media City Qatar moved into its 23,000-square-meter headquarters in Msheireb Downtown Doha, a four-interconnected, LEED-certified building designed to support collaboration, flexibility, and shared ways of working.
“Moving to Msheireb has been an important step for us,” he added. “It brings teams closer together and supports a more collaborative way of working.”
Licensed companies will begin moving into the new location in phases starting this spring. As teams settle into the space, day-to-day interactions between businesses, creators, and partners will become more frequent and more integrated, supported by advanced studios, production facilities, and modern workplace environments designed to enable collaboration, experimentation, and exchange across the community.
Meanwhile, Media City Qatar has also continued to broaden its regional and international partnerships, creating new opportunities for knowledge exchange, investment, and industry collaboration. “These partnerships are an important part of how the ecosystem evolves,” said Al-Mannai.
This includes its growing collaboration with CNN, through which it recently welcomed a senior CNN delegation led by CNN Worldwide Chairman & CEO Sir Mark Thompson, and announced that Doha will host the first regional edition of CNN’s Global Perspectives series in Q4 2026.
“We see this recognition as part of a continuing journey,” said he. “What is ahead is what excites us most, building on this momentum and continuing to grow alongside our people and partners to shape what is next.”
Media City Qatar marked Qatar National Sports Day 2026 on 10 February, through the delivery of the Esports Village and the launch of a new mobile game as part of the nationwide celebration at Stadium 974, which was recognized by Guinness World Records™ as the ‘Largest Sports Arena (Temporary).’ Delivered through a collaboration between the Ministry of Interior, the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), Media City Qatar, and Visit Qatar, the record-breaking activation transformed Stadium 974 and its surrounding areas into a sports destination.
The Esports Village by Media City Qatar, managed by its licensed company SNRG, was one of the 13 official zones delivered as part of the Qatar National Sports Day 2026 celebration at Stadium 974. Designed as a technology-led experience, the zone brought together console gaming, virtual reality experiences, arcade games, interactive challenges, and racing and cycling simulators, offering visitors new ways to move, play, and compete alongside traditional sports activities.
In addition, Media City Qatar marked the occasion with the public launch of a new mobile game Khawi developed by COREGAME Studios, a Media City Qatar–licensed company. Unveiled during Qatar National Sports Day and now available to download on App Store and Google Play, the mobile game represents a tangible outcome of Media City Qatar’s support for local game development and original content creation.
Inspired by the values and mission of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), the game is designed to encourage movement, discipline, and teamwork through interactive gameplay that blends digital engagement with physical activity. Players can progress through mission-based challenges in Combat Mode, testing strategy and decision-making across multiple stages, or activate Walking Mode, which links real-world steps tracked via Apple Health and Google Fit to in-game energy and advancement. As players progress, they unlock new ranks, uniforms, and visual upgrades, reinforcing achievement while promoting active lifestyles and sustained engagement.
Hamad Omar A. Al-Mannai, CEO of Media City Qatar, said: “The launch of Khawi, a locally developed mobile game that connects digital play with real-world movement, together with the Esports Village, shows how media and technology can inspire healthier lives, empower our youth, and bring communities together. And in that shared spirit, the Guinness World Records™ recognition at Stadium 974 reflects the scale of national collaboration behind Qatar National Sports Day and our shared ambition to build healthier, more connected communities in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. Achieving this milestone alongside national champions including the Ministry of Interior, the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), and Visit Qatar highlights the collective commitment driving this nationwide celebration.”
Media City Qatar’s participation in Qatar National Sports Day 2026 builds on earlier activations such as the ‘Ready, Set, Next’ Sports Activation at Sikkat Wadi Msheireb in 2025, which received the 2025 Qatar CSR Award. It also follows ‘Qatar SoundBeat,’ most recently unveiled during the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™ final at Lusail Stadium with the premiere of the song ‘Nabd Qatar’ before more than 88,000 spectators. Together, these initiatives underscore Media City Qatar’s continued role in delivering inclusive, media-led experiences that support community engagement and national priorities.
The world’s first dedicated esports space inside an Olympic museum opens in Doha, introducing a national esports development hub built on an accessibility-first, non-profit model and offering the lowest-cost gaming sessions in the country
Doha, Qatar — 20 May 2026 — Qatar Museums (QM), Media City Qatar, and SNRG today officially unveiled the 321 Esports Lounge Powered by Media City Qatar, a permanent, fully accessible esports development hub housed inside the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum (QOSM). The opening makes QOSM the first Olympic Museum in the world to feature a dedicated esports space, marking a significant milestone for Qatar's sporting and digital cultural landscape.
The launch of the 321 Esports Lounge Powered by Media City Qatar reflects a strategic collaboration between Qatar Museums and Media City Qatar to support the future growth of esports in Qatar. The initiative brings together two complementary perspectives; Qatar Museums’ commitment to sport, culture and youth development through the 321 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, and Media City Qatar’s focus on advancingthe country's growing media, content, and digital business ecosystem. Together, the organisations have established the lounge as a long-term institutionally-backed platform for esports development in Qatar.
Mr Abdulla Yousef Al Mulla, Director of 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, said:
"The 321 Esports Lounge is a natural extension of what the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum was always meant to be — a living institution that speaks to the next generation in their own language. Esports is not a departure from our mission; it is an expression of it. Sport has always evolved, and our role at Qatar Museums is to ensure that our spaces evolve with it. By making this the most accessible gaming destination in Qatar, we are opening our doors to an entirely new community of young people and giving them a permanent home inside one of the country's great cultural institutions."
Mr Hamad Omar A. Al-Mannai, Chief Executive Officer of Media City Qatar, said:
"Gaming and esports are becoming an increasingly important part of the global media landscape, and for Media City Qatar, this is a strategic key priority area that sits at the intersection of media, content, and technology. With the Middle East esports market projected to reach $9.57 billion by 2030 and the region expected to record the fastest growth globally at a 12.9% CAGR, we see a clear opportunity for Qatar to play a meaningful role in shaping the sector’s future. The 321 Esports Lounge Powered by Media City Qatar reflects that ambition by creating an accessible space where the next generation of digital creators and players can experiment, connect, and grow."
Bringing the Lounge to life on the ground is a multi-year strategic agreement between Qatar Museums and SNRG. Under the agreement, SNRG conceived, developed, and curated the full project from concept to execution, and holds ongoing responsibility for the Lounge's day-to-day operations and long-term development. The agreement is a meaningful recognition of SNRG's role in shaping Qatar's esports landscape.
Mr Ibrahim Samha, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SNRG, said:
"As a leading esports company in Qatar, SNRG is dedicated to raising the standard of esports and propelling the country to the forefront of the global scene. The 321 Esports Lounge is one of the most defining things we have built in that mission, a home for the community where anyone can walk in, play, learn, and grow. Our role goes beyond launching a venue, it is to operate and grow a national platform that nurtures local talent and creates real opportunities for players across Qatar. Partnering with Qatar Museums and standing alongside Media City Qatar to bring this to life is a defining moment for SNRG, and a statement of intent for the sector we are committed to building."
The 321 Esports Lounge Powered by Media City Qatar has been designed to serve everyone under one roof, from first-time players walking in for a casual session to national athletes preparing for competition. It operates on an accessibility-first, non-profit model, offering the most affordable gaming sessions available anywhere in Qatar, and will remain open and activated year-round with a continuous calendar of casual sessions, competitive tournaments, educational workshops, and structured training programmes.
The lounge features 12 high-end PC stations representing the most advanced gaming setups publicly accessible in Qatar, 5 console stations equipped with PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2, a professional broadcast station for live streaming and content creation, and a complimentary viewing area open to all museum visitors and spectators.
Programming spans walk-in casual gaming sessions with no booking required, competitive tournaments across multiple game titles with cash prizes, classroom-style gamified educational workshops, and structured training courses designed to bridge the gap between casual play and competitive readiness.
The 321 Esports Lounge Powered by Media City Qatar is open now. To view the full programming calendar or learn more, visit https://321qosm.org.qa/en/.
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Media City Qatar showcased the trophies of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 TM and FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025TM as part of its ongoing partnership with both tournaments. The event, held on Monday, 27 October 2025, at Media City Qatar’s headquarters in Msheireb Downtown Doha, brought together the organization’s board members, employees, licensed companies, and the public to celebrate Qatar’s growing role in sports media and its position as a global hub for world-class coverage.
The celebration brought together Media City Qatar’s VIP guests, employees, licensed companies, and their families, who gathered to view the trophies up close and commemorate the occasion. They took photos and engaged with the display, before the wider public was invited to experience the trophies firsthand and capture memorable moments.
Guests also enjoyed football-themed activities including a foosball table, 360° booth, speed kick challenge, and mini football setup, creating a fun and energetic atmosphere that reflected the spirit of the tournaments.
Media City Qatar is supporting three major tournaments taking place later this year: the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025 TM (3–27 November), the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 TM (1–18 December), and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2025 TM (10–17 December).
With an ecosystem of over 300 licensed companies, Media City Qatar continues to foster creativity and collaboration in alignment with the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030. This initiative reaffirmed Media City Qatar’s commitment to advancing sports media and supporting Qatar’s growing reputation as a hub for innovation and world-class coverage.
