The Qatar WhatsApp Campaign Calendar: October 2026 to December 2027
Fifteen months of real Qatari dates, what to send on each, which template category it falls under, and when people are actually reading their phones.
Short answer: Qatar's year has four big WhatsApp moments: the Lusail race weekends and National Day (27–29 November and 18 December 2026), Ramadan (expected to start on Monday 8 February 2027, subject to moon sighting), Eid al-Fitr (expected around 9–10 March 2027) and Eid al-Adha (expected around 16–17 May 2027). National Sport Day falls inside Ramadan for the first time, on Tuesday 9 February 2027. Plan templates four weeks ahead, send offers only to opted-in customers, and in Ramadan move promotions to after taraweeh.
How to use this calendar
Every date below comes from an official announcement or a named source, listed at the end. Islamic dates are astronomical estimates and are confirmed only by moon sighting, so build campaigns that can shift by a day. Three reminders before you plan:
- The weekend is Friday and Saturday. Thursday evening is the start of the weekend for most families.
- Promotions are marketing templates ($0.0341 per delivered message to a +974 number). Order, booking and delivery updates are utility ($0.012). See our Qatar pricing guide.
- Submit templates early. Approval is often quick, but a rejection two days before National Day leaves no time to fix it. Aim for four weeks ahead of a major date.
The calendar at a glance
| When | Occasion | What to send | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2026 | Cooler weather returns; outdoor season starts | Re-permission old contacts; launch winter menus, terraces, desert-camp bookings | Marketing (opt-in only) |
| 6–8 Nov 2026 | MotoGP Qatar Airways Grand Prix, Lusail | Visitor offers for hotels, restaurants, car rental | Marketing |
| 8 Nov 2026 | Diwali | Greetings and gift offers for Indian customers, in Hindi or English | Marketing |
| 27 Nov 2026 | Black Friday / White Friday sales (retail convention) | Early access for opted-in customers, then order and courier updates | Marketing, then utility |
| 27–29 Nov 2026 | Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix, Lusail | Race-weekend packages, transfers, late-night dining | Marketing |
| Before 18 Dec 2026 | First-semester school exams (held before National Day) | Tutoring, stationery, quiet-study offers; then mid-year break travel | Marketing |
| 18 Dec 2026 (Fri) | Qatar National Day | Maroon-and-white greetings, 18% offers, opening hours | Marketing; hours as utility for bookings |
| Last third of Dec 2026 | School mid-year break; Christmas for Filipino and other Christian customers | Family travel, staycations, Christmas greetings in English or Filipino | Marketing |
| Jan 2027 | Shopping-festival season (Shop Qatar has run in January; 2027 dates not yet announced) | Mall and raffle tie-ins, new-year sales | Marketing |
| ~8 Feb 2027 | Ramadan begins (subject to moon sighting) | Ramadan Kareem greeting, iftar and ghabga menus, new hours | Marketing; hours as utility |
| 9 Feb 2027 (Tue) | National Sport Day, inside Ramadan for the first time | Evening classes after taraweeh, sportswear, healthy suhoor | Marketing |
| ~21 Feb 2027 | Garangao (14th night of Ramadan) | Garangao baskets, children's outfits, sweets delivery | Marketing |
| ~27 Feb–8 Mar 2027 | Last ten nights of Ramadan; Eid shopping peak | Eid outfits, perfume, gifts, delivery cut-off reminders | Marketing, then utility |
| ~9–10 Mar 2027 | Eid al-Fitr | Eid greeting, holiday hours, post-Eid travel | Marketing |
| Apr 2027 | Spring, post-Eid lull | Win-back of Ramadan buyers, reviews, loyalty | Marketing |
| ~15–17 May 2027 | Day of Arafah and Eid al-Adha | Eid greeting, udhiya (sacrifice) orders for butchers, closure notices | Marketing; closures as utility |
| Jun 2027 | End of school year; summer travel begins | Travel, summer camps, "we're open" messages for those staying | Marketing |
| Jul–Aug 2027 | Summer in Qatar (2026 had a Toy Festival in July and a Shopping Festival in August) | Indoor family activities, mall raffles, delivery offers | Marketing |
| Late Aug 2027 | Back to school | Uniforms, books, transport, clinic check-ups | Marketing; appointment reminders as utility |
| 29 Oct 2027 | Diwali | Greetings and gift offers for Indian customers | Marketing |
| 26 Nov 2027 | Black Friday / White Friday sales | As in 2026, with this year's list cleaned | Marketing |
| 18 Dec 2027 (Sat) | Qatar National Day | As in 2026 | Marketing |
October–December 2026: race weekends and National Day
This is the busiest stretch of the Qatari year for hospitality and retail. MotoGP runs at Lusail International Circuit from 6 to 8 November 2026, and the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix from 27 to 29 November, with the race on Sunday the 29th at 19:00. Qatar Tourism reported 5.1 million visitors in 2025, and race weekends bring many of them to Lusail, the Pearl and West Bay. Visitors are not on your opted-in list, so reach them with Click-to-WhatsApp ads: every message in the free entry-point window is free for up to 7 days.
National Day, 18 December
National Day (اليوم الوطني) falls on a Friday in 2026. The Amiri Diwan usually announces the official holiday only a few days before, so do not promise a specific day off in your messages. Schools hold first-semester exams before National Day and start the mid-year break in the last third of December, under the calendar the Ministry of Education approved in 2025.
كل عام وقطر بخير 🇶🇦 بمناسبة اليوم الوطني، خصم 18٪ على كل الطلبات من {{1}} إلى {{2}}. استخدم الكود QND18. لإيقاف العروض أرسل "إيقاف".
Happy Qatar National Day 🇶🇦 Enjoy 18% off all orders from {{1}} to {{2}} with code QND18. Reply STOP to opt out of offers.
Keep National Day messages celebratory and respectful, and check any use of national symbols in an offer with your marketing adviser first.
January 2027: shopping season
Shop Qatar, the country's largest shopping festival, ran from 1 January to 1 February in 2025 with raffles across about 20 malls. In 2026 Visit Qatar also ran a summer Shopping Festival in August. Dates for 2027 had not been announced when we checked, so watch Visit Qatar's events calendar and prepare a "festival is on" template you can send the day it is confirmed. January is also a good month for win-back messages to customers who bought for National Day.
Ramadan 2027: the month that needs the most planning
Ramadan 1448 is expected to begin on Monday 8 February 2027, with the official start set by the crescent sighting committee at the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs. Daily life reorganises around fasting: offices work shorter hours, shops and malls open late, and the busiest time on WhatsApp moves into the evening.
Working hours
Under Article 73 of the Labour Law, private-sector working hours in Ramadan are capped at 36 hours a week and six hours a day, as the Ministry of Labour has restated in past years. Government hours are set separately by the Cabinet and announced closer to the month. Build fewer agent hours into your plan, and let an Arabic and English AI or chatbot answer after hours.
When to send
| Time of day (Ramadan) | What people are doing | What to send |
|---|---|---|
| Late morning, about 10:00–13:00 | At work on shorter hours | Utility: order confirmations, appointment reminders, delivery slots |
| Afternoon until sunset | Preparing iftar, travelling home | Only urgent utility; avoid promotions |
| Iftar and Maghrib prayer | Breaking the fast with family | Nothing |
| After Isha and taraweeh, about 21:00–23:30 | Out, visiting, shopping, on their phones | Marketing: offers, ghabga bookings, Eid shopping |
| Late night to suhoor | Late meals, some people asleep | Food delivery offers only to customers who order late |
Exact iftar time moves a little each day; check the Ministry of Awqaf timetable rather than hard-coding a time. In QuickWA, set your sending window in Settings to the after-taraweeh slot for the month, and scheduled broadcasts will wait until it opens.
National Sport Day in Ramadan, 9 February
National Sport Day is the second Tuesday of February and a public holiday. In 2027 it falls one day after Ramadan is expected to begin, the first time the two have coincided. The organising committee's theme is "Ramadan... A Golden Opportunity", with lighter activities from 3 to 5 PM before iftar and more intense sport from 9 to 11:30 PM after taraweeh. Gyms, sports shops and clubs should follow the same split.
اليوم الرياضي في رمضان 🏃 جلسات خفيفة قبل الفطور من 3 إلى 5 العصر، وتمارين بعد التراويح من 9 إلى 11:30 الليل. احجز مكانك الحين.
Sport Day in Ramadan 🏃 Light sessions before iftar, 3–5 PM, and full workouts after taraweeh, 9–11:30 PM. Book your spot now.
Ghabga and Garangao
The ghabga, a late-evening Ramadan gathering, is a natural hook for restaurants, hotels and caterers. Garangao (القرنقعوه), the children's celebration on the 14th night of Ramadan, falls around 21 February 2027 if Ramadan starts on the 8th. Children in traditional dress go door to door collecting sweets and nuts, so toy shops, sweet makers, tailors and malls all have a reason to message.
رمضان كريم {{1}} 🌙 قائمة الغبقة وصلت! احجز طاولتك بعد التراويح من الرابط بالأسفل.
Ramadan Kareem {{1}} 🌙 Our ghabga menu is here. Book your table for after taraweeh from the link below.
قرنقعوه قرقيعوه 🍬 سلال القرنقعوه جاهزة للطلب، والتوصيل قبل ليلة النص من رمضان.
Garangao baskets are ready to order 🍬 Delivered before the mid-Ramadan night.
Eid al-Fitr, around 9–10 March 2027
Eid al-Fitr is expected on Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March 2027, depending on whether Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days. The government holiday is announced by the Amiri Diwan; in 2026 it ran from 17 to 23 March for ministries and agencies. The financial sector's bank holiday on the first Sunday of March (7 March 2027) falls inside Ramadan this time, so expect slower transfers that day.
The last ten nights of Ramadan are the Eid shopping peak. Send delivery cut-off dates as a utility message to customers with open orders, and save the offers for opted-in contacts.
عساكم من عواده 🎉 عيدكم مبارك من {{1}}. نستقبلكم أيام العيد من 4 العصر إلى 12 الليل.
Eid Mubarak from {{1}} 🎉 During Eid we're open from 4 PM to midnight.
Eid al-Adha, around 16–17 May 2027
Astronomical estimates put the Day of Arafah around 15 or 16 May and Eid al-Adha on Sunday 16 or Monday 17 May 2027, subject to sighting. Butchers and supermarkets taking udhiya orders should open bookings two to three weeks before, with utility confirmations for each order. Clinics and service businesses should send closure notices as utility messages to customers with upcoming appointments.
Summer 2027: June to August
Many families travel when the school year ends in June, and those who stay move indoors. In summer 2026 Visit Qatar's programme included the Qatar Toy Festival at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (in July, extended to 4 August) and a Shopping Festival from 1 to 30 August with weekly raffles at Place Vendôme, Doha Festival City, Villagio and Mall of Qatar. Expect a similar programme in 2027, but wait for the dates before you announce anything.
Summer is a good time to reach the communities that stay in Qatar in their own languages: Malayalam, Hindi or Urdu for South Asian customers, Filipino for the Filipino community. Meta supports all four for templates.
September–December 2027: back to school and round two
The new school year starts in late August. Uniform shops, bookshops, school transport companies and paediatric clinics can send reminders from mid-August. Diwali falls on 29 October 2027, Black Friday on 26 November 2027, and National Day on Saturday 18 December 2027. Before you repeat last year's campaigns, clean your list: remove opt-outs, numbers that never read, and contacts who have not bought in a year.
Lead times that work
| Before the date | Task |
|---|---|
| 4 weeks | Write Arabic and English templates (plus expat languages if you use them) and submit them |
| 3 weeks | Build segments: past buyers, recent enquiries, by language and by area |
| 2 weeks | Launch Click-to-WhatsApp ads to grow your opted-in audience |
| 1 week | Schedule the broadcast inside your sending window; prepare the AI or chatbot replies |
| Day of | Send in batches, watch replies and opt-outs, pause if quality drops |
QuickWA supports scheduled broadcasts to segments, A/B tests between two template versions, drip journeys and an AI bot that replies in Arabic or English, from $5/month with no per-seat fees. See the Qatar page and our guide to WhatsApp marketing rules in Qatar before your first campaign.
Sources
- Ramadan 2027 and Eid al-Fitr estimates: Gulf News; Qatar Living; Eid al-Adha 2027 estimate (UAE astronomical calculation): Khaleej Times (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- National Sport Day 2027: QNA; Marhaba (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- Garangao tradition: Qatar National Library (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- Ramadan working hours (Article 73, Labour Law): Qatar Tribune (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- School calendar 2025–2028 (exams before National Day, mid-year break): QNA (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- Lusail race dates: Qatar Tribune; Visit Qatar (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- Visitor numbers 2025: QNA / Qatar Tourism (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- Shopping festivals: The Peninsula (Shop Qatar 2025); Visit Qatar (Shopping Festival 2026); QNA (Qatar Toy Festival 2026) (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- Eid al-Fitr 2026 government holiday: Khaleej Times; financial-sector bank holiday (third-party): Emerhub (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- Diwali dates: PublicHolidays.com (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- Meta pricing and template languages: pricing, supported languages (checked 23 Oct 2026)
Frequently asked questions
When is Ramadan 2027 in Qatar? +
Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin on Monday 8 February 2027, subject to the crescent sighting announced by Qatar's Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs. Eid al-Fitr is expected on 9 or 10 March 2027.
When is Qatar National Sport Day 2027? +
Tuesday 9 February 2027, the second Tuesday of February. It falls one day after Ramadan is expected to begin, the first time the two coincide, and activities are split between 3–5 PM and 9–11:30 PM.
What is the best time to send WhatsApp promotions in Qatar during Ramadan? +
After Isha and taraweeh prayers, roughly 9 to 11:30 PM, when people are out and on their phones. Keep late mornings for utility messages such as order and appointment updates, and avoid iftar.
When is Qatar National Day? +
18 December every year. In 2026 it falls on a Friday and in 2027 on a Saturday. The Amiri Diwan announces the official holiday shortly before the date.
When is Eid al-Adha 2027 in Qatar? +
Astronomical estimates point to Sunday 16 or Monday 17 May 2027, with the Day of Arafah a day earlier. The date is confirmed by moon sighting.
Should I send Qatar campaigns in languages other than Arabic and English? +
If you serve expatriate communities, yes. Meta supports templates in Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu and Filipino among others. Send a language only to customers who chose it or replied in it.