Qatar Open visitor guide

The tournament in brief

Doha offers two separate February tournaments at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex. The women’s Qatar TotalEnergies Open is a WTA 1000, listed by the WTA as Qatar Ladies Open, with confirmed 2027 dates of 7–13 February. The men’s Qatar ExxonMobil Open is an ATP 500 running 15–20 February 2027. Both use outdoor hard courts. Choose the tour you want before selecting flights; Each tournament sells its own tickets.

The split is useful for a longer holiday. You can plan the end of the women’s week and the beginning of the men’s, with a day between the published main events. If you have only a short break, pick one week and give it enough time. An early-round visit brings more matches to compare, while the later rounds concentrate the programme on fewer contenders. Neither approach guarantees a favourite player.

Doha works well as a tennis and city break, with museums, waterfront walks and different neighbourhoods for evenings. Pack for sunshine and a cooler late session, then choose footwear comfortable for the approach and movement between courts. Keep sightseeing flexible so a long match does not turn the rest of the day into a rush. Read the next day’s order of play before finalising when to leave the hotel.

The organiser currently uses Qatar ExxonMobil Open for the men’s event and Qatar TotalEnergies Open for the women’s event. This destination guide covers both separately.

Sources: Doha WTA 2027 overview Doha ATP 2027 official Tennis TV listing Qatar destination transport and visitor information Qatar Tennis event names · checked 11 October 2026

Tickets and choosing your week

Use the women’s or men’s ticket link from the Qatar Tennis Federation and confirm the event name, year and date before paying. Prices vary by day and seat. The official ticket site shows live prices. Choose two acceptable days if your first preference sells out, and compare a complete trip with accommodation and transport before committing to a particular session.

Ask what the selected ticket includes: a reserved Centre Court seat, access to other courts, the permitted arrival time and any separate evening session. Those details matter more than the headline price when you want to spend a whole day at the complex. Read the refund, transfer and weather terms for that exact purchase, then keep the confirmation and ticket-access instructions somewhere easy to find.

Qatar uses the riyal, shown here as QAR. Approximate sterling uses the ECB reference rates on 9 October 2026 and Qatar Central Bank’s dollar peg: QAR 1 is about £0.20780. The standard metro daily maximum of QAR 6 is approximately £1.25, a useful transport budget example. This is a local travel fare. Obtain the tennis price for the named 2027 day and seating category directly from the organizer.

Sources: Qatar official women’s tickets Qatar official men’s tickets Official Doha Metro visitor guide ECB reference rates 9 October 2026 Qatar Central Bank exchange-rate policy · checked 9 October 2026

Getting there from the UK

Hamad International Airport is the gateway for Doha. Compare flights from your nearest UK airports using the actual February timetable, including departure times, baggage and the journey home after your last session. A convenient arrival can be worth more than a small airfare saving if it gives you an evening to settle in. Arrive before your principal match day so a delay does not immediately affect admission.

The Red Line connects Hamad airport into the city’s metro network. Compare the hotel’s station and final walk with a licensed taxi or booked transfer, particularly when arriving late or carrying substantial luggage. Save the accommodation address and check-in instructions before boarding. Airport arrival includes immigration, baggage and finding transport, so leave extra time beyond a map’s vehicle estimate.

For a short visit, choose accommodation that makes both the airport leg and repeated tennis journeys straightforward. A waterfront room can be appealing, but look at the actual hotel door and the nearest usable station or taxi pickup. Keep the first evening modest: find breakfast, confirm the next day’s route and allow time to rest. A major museum booking immediately after arrival can be difficult to enjoy if the flight runs late.

Sources: Official Doha Metro visitor guide Qatar destination transport and visitor information · checked 9 October 2026

Getting there on the day

The organizer’s visitor information lists Corniche, West Bay QatarEnergy and DECC on the Red Line as possible stations for the complex. Compare each with your accommodation and the tournament entrance on your ticket. Include the final walking route in the journey, with proper crossings and time for security. A nearby station can still leave a meaningful outdoor approach, especially with children or mobility needs.

Visit Qatar gives a standard metro daily maximum of QAR 6, approximately £1.25 at the dated conversion above. Card acquisition and a taxi connection are separate costs. Check the current timetable before leaving and save the return route; operating hours can vary, including Friday morning and special arrangements. Tap your card at the start and end of the journey and keep enough credit for the return.

A Karwa taxi or a recognised booked-car service can simplify the last leg. Agree the correct drop-off and return location using the event’s current map, and allow a margin for the crowd leaving after a close match. Keep your hotel address offline and your phone charged. If you plan to stay until the final ball, have a road-transport fallback so the last metro service does not dictate every decision during the match.

Sources: Qatar organizer venue travel Official Doha Metro visitor guide Qatar destination transport and visitor information · checked 9 October 2026

Accessibility

Contact the organizer before choosing a seat if you need a wheelchair space, step-free approach or a companion arrangement. Explain the tournament week and day you want, whether you can transfer to an ordinary seat and any equipment dimensions. Ask for the route from arrival to your exact court and the accessible toilet locations. Confirm those arrangements before booking the rest of the trip.

Visit Qatar describes wheelchair access on the metro, but the station-to-gate journey remains a separate part of the plan. Check lifts and exits along your full route, and ask whether a suitable taxi drop-off would reduce the final walk. If using a booked vehicle, describe your needs when reserving it; a standard car can be unsuitable even for a relatively short distance.

Ask your hotel for the specific room and bathroom details, including entrance steps and lift access. A useful city location does not guarantee the room suits your requirements. Keep enough time for breaks between matches, and carry essential medication after reviewing Qatar’s medicine rules and the tournament entry policy. Save the organizer and transfer contacts so any problem can be resolved before you leave the hotel.

Sources: Qatar organizer venue travel Official Doha Metro visitor guide Qatar entry requirements · checked 9 October 2026

Entry requirements, dress and local customs

GOV.UK’s current wording, checked 11 October 2026: “You can get a tourist visa on arrival if you’re travelling on a full British Citizen passport.”

GOV.UK Qatar entry advice was checked on 9 October 2026. GOV.UK says visitors travelling on a full British citizen passport can get a tourist visa on arrival. It also calls this permission a visa waiver, which must be extended before it expires for stays longer than 30 days. Your passport should be valid for at least six months from arrival. Other passport types or travel purposes can require an advance visa. Review the current conditions before booking and before departure.

Dress and local customs: GOV.UK advises men and women to cover shoulders and knees in public. Respect local traditions, especially at religious sites and during Ramadan, and ask your hotel about local opening hours. Alcohol is restricted to licensed places; drinking or being drunk in public is illegal. Keep public conduct considerate and read the full laws section before planning evenings out.

Save accommodation, return-travel and insurance details offline, and check the rules for any medication you carry. Qatar and the UAE have separate borders, currencies and entry conditions, so a two-city Gulf trip needs preparation for each country. Put local dates and times on your itinerary, keep a backup payment card and allow for hotel deposits as well as daily spending.

Read GOV.UK’s Qatar laws and cultural differences before travelling.

Sources: Qatar entry requirements Qatar laws and cultural differences GOV.UK Qatar entry requirements · checked 11 October 2026

Where to stay

Hotel buttons are Booking.com affiliate links via CJ. We may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.

West Bay suits a tennis-focused hotel search, while the Corniche area offers waterfront access with varying routes to the complex. Msheireb and Souq Waqif can suit evenings in the older city. The Pearl is another option for a resort-style stay, with a separate daily journey. Compare the precise address and how you will return after tennis, alongside the neighbourhood setting.

Look at the complete room rate, breakfast, cancellation deadline and transport cost across your visit. Ask about noise, air conditioning and the entrance if access matters. A hotel beside a wide road may still involve a detour to reach a station safely. For several tennis days, choose a route you are happy to repeat and somewhere nearby for an easy meal when a late finish changes your plans.

Sources: Qatar destination transport and visitor information Official Doha Metro visitor guide · checked 9 October 2026

Make a weekend of it

For a first Doha break, arrive with an evening free to settle in, then give the next day to tennis. Use a spare morning for a waterfront walk or one museum, with time to return to the hotel before another session. If visiting both tournament weeks, keep the day between them for rest and a more substantial outing. Check opening hours around Friday prayers and any seasonal changes.

Souq Waqif, the Corniche and the city’s museums provide different ways to spend a non-tennis day. Choose one main visit and a nearby meal instead of crossing the city repeatedly. Reserve official timed admission where required. A desert outing is better treated as its own organised excursion, with a suitable operator, transport and enough time to return without rushing to the evening tennis.

At the complex, identify the court printed on your ticket and save the current order of play. Add an optional second match or practice visit around the main attraction. Leave a break for food, water and shade, then reassess as matches run long or finish early. Follow the tournament’s permitted-item rules while packing so a bag or drink does not create a delay at security.

Sources: Qatar destination transport and visitor information Qatar organizer venue travel · checked 9 October 2026

Frequently asked questions

Sources: Doha WTA 2027 overview Doha ATP 2027 official Tennis TV listing Qatar official women’s tickets Qatar organizer venue travel Official Doha Metro visitor guide Qatar entry requirements · checked 9 October 2026

The Gulf and Asian swings

Gulf swing: Link Doha and Dubai around the women’s or men’s weeks you want to watch. flydubai lists a typical Doha–Dubai flight of about 1 hour 14 minutes. That is flying time only: add airport check-in, baggage and both hotel transfers. The route information was checked on 9 October 2026; confirm the 2027 timetable before booking.

Asian swing: Compare Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan and Tokyo around your chosen sessions, as some tournament weeks overlap. Current non-stop route listings give about 2 hours 25 minutes from Beijing Capital to Shanghai Hongqiao, 2 hours 5 minutes from Shanghai Hongqiao to Wuhan, and 2 hours 55 minutes from Shanghai Pudong to Tokyo Narita. These are flight-only planning examples checked on 9 October 2026; allow for airport transfers and recheck 2027 schedules. For Wuhan–Tokyo, verify connecting options: ANA’s published Narita–Wuhan suspension runs through 27 March 2027 and does not confirm autumn services.

Dubai Tennis Championships · China Open · Rolex Shanghai Masters · Wuhan Open · Tokyo Tennis

Sources: Doha WTA 2027 overview Doha ATP 2027 official Tennis TV listing Dubai WTA 2027 overview Dubai ATP 2027 official Tennis TV listing flydubai Doha to Dubai route flydubai Doha–Dubai route Beijing Capital–Shanghai Hongqiao flights Shanghai Hongqiao–Wuhan flights Shanghai Pudong–Tokyo Narita flights ANA international route information · checked 9 October 2026