Get closer to the game: QIIB launches special edition Amir Cup visa card
Tribune News Network
Doha
QIIB has announced the launch of a special and first-of-its-kind edition of its Visa credit cards to celebrate the 53rd Amir Cup in 2025, in collaboration with global payments leader Visa and the Qatar Football Association.
As the official sponsor of the Amir Cup for three consecutive years—under the agreement signed with the Qatar Football Association—QIIB is committed to creating a card design that embodies national pride and reflects the deep significance of this much-loved sporting event.
This special edition card offers all the benefits and features of QIIB's credit cards, including complimentary access to premium airport lounges worldwide, exclusive discounts with esteemed partners in Qatar and Visa's global partner network, as well as the ability to earn QIIB points that can be redeemed through a variety of options.
It also provides enhanced security features and global acceptance, ensuring a seamless and convenient user experience.
QIIB customers can apply for this exceptional card through the bank's usual channels: the mobile banking app, online banking, or by visiting any of the Bank's branches.
On this occasion, Dr. Abdulbasit Ahmad al-Shaibei, CEO of QIIB, stated: 'We are delighted to announce the launch of QIIB's special edition Visa credit card in celebration of the 53rd edition of the Amir Cup, a tournament that holds a special place in our hearts.
We are also honoured to be the official sponsor of the Amir Cup and celebrate this special occasion with a unique initiative—especially as the tournament stands as a proud symbol of excellence in sport and national unity'.
'The launch of this special edition of our credit cards, across all categories, in partnership with Visa, reflects our commitment to engaging with national events through innovative banking solutions.
We aim to celebrate major sporting occasions with initiatives that resonate with the community. Previously, we issued a special edition Visa card to mark the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022—an event that showcased our nation's pride, excellence, and remarkable achievement on the global sporting stage'.
Al-Shaibei continued: 'We consider this an exceptional occasion in many respects—banking and sports at its core, and deeply national in spirit.
It also reflects our ongoing collaboration with the Qatar Football Association, serving as a culmination of the sponsorship agreement previously signed, under which QIIB became the official sponsor of the Amir Cup and Qatar's national football teams for a three-year period.'
Commenting on the significance of this tournament, he further stated: 'The Amir Cup is more than just a sporting event—it is a national occasion that embodies the spirit of competition and excellence, and a source of pride for us all.
We are pleased to have built a strong connection between QIIB and major national events in our beloved country. We have always been committed to aligning with the interests of our community, guided by a spirit of responsibility and innovation'.
Al-Shaibei also noted: 'The advanced features and benefits offered through these cards reflect QIIB's vision of delivering innovative banking solutions that meet our customers' evolving expectations.
They provide a comprehensive experience aligned with the highest standards in the banking sector, while also connecting our customers to major national events that have a significant impact on Qatari society'.
The CEO concluded his remarks by saying: 'We congratulate all involved on this important initiative and extend our appreciation to our partners—Visa and the Qatar Football Association—for their role in its success.
We look forward to building more partnerships that support Qatar's position as a leading hub for innovation, advanced banking services, and community engagement across all sectors'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Click To Pay: Unlocking Qatar's eCommerce potential through smarter, safer payments
As Qatar rapidly embraces digital transformation, eCommerce is emerging as one of the fastest-growing sectors in the country. A new Visa report sheds light on how consumers are shopping online more frequently than ever—but also reveals that persistent friction at checkout continues to hinder growth. In this exclusive interview with Qatar Tribune, Shashank Singh, Visa's Vice President and General Manager for Qatar and Kuwait, dives into the key findings from Visa's latest Checkout Friction Report. He discusses the surge in online shopping, the impact of innovations like biometric-enabled Click to Pay and why improving the online checkout experience is now critical for businesses—especially SMEs—looking to thrive in Qatar's evolving digital economy. Excerpts: What's driving the strong growth of eCommerce in Qatar, even as some payment challengesremain? The rise of eCommerce in Qatar is being fueled by consumers' increasing comfort with online platforms and a growing digital infrastructure. Visa's latest Checkout Friction Report shows that one in four respondents now shop online for groceries every day, and for categories like fashion, entertainment, and electronics, many shop at least oncea month. However, while adoption is high, the online checkout experience remains a sticking point for many. Common frustrations, especially having to manually enter card details and concerns about payment security, continue to affect both satisfaction and conversion. Addressing these pain points presents a significant opportunity for retailers to boost loyalty and revenue. The report shows many respondents would shop more with one click checkout and biometrics. Is Click to Pay the answer, and is it already available in Qatar? Yes, Click to Pay is already live in Qatar. In fact, Qatar National Bank (QNB) was the first acquirer bank globally to launch Visa's Click to Pay with biometric authentication and Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) was the first issuer bank in both Qatar and the GCC to launch the service in partnership with Visa. This feature eliminates the need for consumers to repeatedly enter card and personal details, using biometric authentication on the shopper's device to speed up and secure the process. The demand for this kind of innovation is strong. Seventy-one percent of respondents said they would likely use Click to Pay with Biometrics, and 80 percent said they would shop more frequently if a one-click checkout was available. Security is a key concern for many shoppers especially when it comes to biometric data. How can merchants ensure security of such data? Security is top of mind for Qatar's online shoppers, with 68 percent worried about fraud and 58 percent uneasy about storing card details across multiple sites. Concerns around biometric data are understandable and increasingly relevant. Click to Pay addresses this by using Visa Payment Passkey, which authenticates users through their device's built-in biometrics like fingerprint or face ID. Crucially, this biometric data never leaves the user's device and isn't shared with merchants or payment networks, reducing the risk of misuse. Tokenization adds another layer of protection by replacing card details with a secure, encrypted token, meaning actual card information is never exposed during transactions. Merchants also play a critical role by following data security standards like Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), ensuring secure storage, encryption, and access control. Protecting sensitive data takes a layered approach – combining secure tech, industry compliance, and a strong culture of data responsibility across the payments ecosystem. What should small businesses and eCommerce sites take away from this study? Can improved checkout experiences help attract more customers? Absolutely. The findings of the Checkout Friction Report are clear. A smoother, more secure checkout process directly impacts customer satisfaction, loyalty, and ultimately, sales. Small businesses and eCommerce sites should see this as a call to action. By embracing advanced solutions like Click to Pay, streamlining the payment journey, and prioritizing security, they not only improve conversion rates but also build long term trust with their customer base. With digital transformation high on Qatar's national agenda, now is the perfect time for merchants, especially smaller players, to align with evolving consumer expectations and stand out in an increasingly competitive eCommerce landscape.
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Click To Pay: Unlocking Qatar's eCommercepotential through smarter, safer payments
As Qatar rapidly embraces digital transformation, eCommerce is emerging as one of the fastest-growing sectors in the country. A new Visa report sheds light on how consumers are shopping online more frequently than ever—but also reveals that persistent friction at checkout continues to hinder growth. In this exclusive interview with Qatar Tribune, Shashank Singh, Visa's Vice President and General Manager for Qatar and Kuwait, dives into the key findings from Visa's latest Checkout Friction Report. He discusses the surge in online shopping, the impact of innovations like biometric-enabled Click to Pay and why improving the online checkout experience is now critical for businesses—especially SMEs—looking to thrive in Qatar's evolving digital economy. Excerpts: What's driving the strong growth of eCommerce in Qatar, even as some payment challengesremain? The rise of eCommerce in Qatar is being fueled by consumers' increasing comfort with online platforms and a growing digital infrastructure. Visa's latest Checkout Friction Report shows that one in four respondents now shop online for groceries every day, and for categories like fashion, entertainment, and electronics, many shop at least oncea month. However, while adoption is high, the online checkout experience remains a sticking point for many. Common frustrations, especially having to manually enter card details and concerns about payment security, continue to affect both satisfaction and conversion. Addressing these pain points presents a significant opportunity for retailers to boost loyalty and revenue. The report shows many respondents would shop more with one click checkout and biometrics. Is Click to Pay the answer, and is it already available in Qatar? Yes, Click to Pay is already live in Qatar. In fact, Qatar National Bank (QNB) was the first acquirer bank globally to launch Visa's Click to Pay with biometric authentication and Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) was the first issuer bank in both Qatar and the GCC to launch the service in partnership with Visa. This feature eliminates the need for consumers to repeatedly enter card and personal details, using biometric authentication on the shopper's device to speed up and secure the process. The demand for this kind of innovation is strong. Seventy-one percent of respondents said they would likely use Click to Pay with Biometrics, and 80 percent said they would shop more frequently if a one-click checkout was available. Security is a key concern for many shoppers especially when it comes to biometric data. How can merchants ensure security of such data? Security is top of mind for Qatar's online shoppers, with 68 percent worried about fraud and 58 percent uneasy about storing card details across multiple sites. Concerns around biometric data are understandable and increasingly relevant. Click to Pay addresses this by using Visa Payment Passkey, which authenticates users through their device's built-in biometrics like fingerprint or face ID. Crucially, this biometric data never leaves the user's device and isn't shared with merchants or payment networks, reducing the risk of misuse. Tokenization adds another layer of protection by replacing card details with a secure, encrypted token, meaning actual card information is never exposed during transactions. Merchants also play a critical role by following data security standards like Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), ensuring secure storage, encryption, and access control. Protecting sensitive data takes a layered approach – combining secure tech, industry compliance, and a strong culture of data responsibility across the payments ecosystem. What should small businesses and eCommerce sites take away from this study? Can improved checkout experiences help attract more customers? Absolutely. The findings of the Checkout Friction Report are clear. A smoother, more secure checkout process directly impacts customer satisfaction, loyalty, and ultimately, sales. Small businesses and eCommerce sites should see this as a call to action. By embracing advanced solutions like Click to Pay, streamlining the payment journey, and prioritizing security, they not only improve conversion rates but also build long term trust with their customer base. With digital transformation high on Qatar's national agenda, now is the perfect time for merchants, especially smaller players, to align with evolving consumer expectations and stand out in an increasingly competitive eCommerce landscape.
Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
QF integrates chess into schools to foster strategic thinking among students
Tribune News Network Doha Qatar Foundation's Pre-University Education, in collaboration with the Qatar Chess Federation, organized the Qatar Foundation Schools Chess Tournament with the aim of integrating chess into the educational activities of its schools. As part of a strategic partnership, a series of initiatives were introduced. These efforts led to the establishment of 11 chess clubs across Qatar Foundation (QF) schools, providing students with regular opportunities for training and practice, and contributing to the development of their strategic thinking, focus, and self-discipline. Abdulla Shaheen Al-Kaabi, head of Sports Affairs at QF's Pre-University Education, said: 'The agreement signed in this context is not merely a temporary collaboration, but a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening the presence of chess in the educational environment. Our goal is to identify talented students who can be nurtured to represent Qatar in international competitions, contributing to the advancement of sports in the country.' Al-Kaabi explained that the integration of chess into QF schools began with training certified teacher-coaches and providing the necessary equipment. This led to dedicated lessons, internal tournaments, a major competition during Qatar's 2025 National Sport Day, and, ultimately, the Qatar Foundation Schools Championship. 'We believe that chess plays a significant role in shaping students' character, which is why we aim to expand its presence to as many schools as possible,' he added. 'Chess is not just a game, it is a powerful tool for developing critical thinking, decision-making, and effective planning skills, all of which have a direct impact on students' academic performance and success.' Al-Kaabi pointed out that sports activities, particularly chess tournaments, have had a clear impact on promoting positive behavior among students by reinforcing values such as cooperation, mutual respect, and good sportsmanship. 'Through these activities, we strive to build a balanced educational environment that supports students' academic, personal, and skill development,' he explained. 'We also aim to instill values such as patience, resilience, and self-confidence, key elements in shaping future leaders capable of making effective decisions.' 'We place great importance on diversifying sports activities across the institution to give students the opportunity to explore their interests and develop their skills in various fields, whether physical, like running and swimming, or mental, like chess. This balance between physical and cognitive engagement contributes to shaping well-rounded individuals capable of excellence.' Jassim Nawaf Zainal, an eight-year-old student at Academyati, part of QF's Pre-University Education, said: 'I joined the chess tournament because I really love the game. My journey started when I watched instructional videos online, and I kept learning until I mastered the rules. 'This experience taught me that winning isn't everything. What matters most is enjoying the game and learning from it. Even losing can be a chance to improve, and this competition gave me more confidence and motivation. I'm sure I'll get better with every tournament I play. 'My family always stands by me and encourages me. Even when I feel tired or nervous, they keep supporting and motivating me to keep going and do my best.'
