The World’s Best Airline joins the stage of football’s greatest award to honour the world’s best players
Qatar Airways will make history this year as the irst ever Presenting Partner of the world’s most prestigious award ceremony in football, Ballon d’Or®, reinforcing the airline’s deep commitment to global sport and excellence. The landmark 69th edition of the Ballon d’Or® will take place on 22 September 2025 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France.
For over six decades, the Ballon d’Or has crowned the greatest players in football, celebrating talent, dedication, and achievement on the world stage. This new partnership unites the World’s Best Airline with the world’s best players, and marks a milestone in Qatar Airways’ ongoing support of the global sporting community. As the airline that connects fans, players, and cultures across the globe, Qatar Airways’ role as the 69th Balon d’Or Ceremony Presenting Partner underscores its purpose-driven ambition to bring the world together through the universal language of sport.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said: “We are delighted to become the irst ever Presenting Partner of the Ballon d’Or® Ceremony as we celebrate the legends who inspire generations. This partnership is a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence, and by aligning Qatar Airways, the World’s Best Airline with the World’s Best Footballers, we are reinforcing our brand’s dedication to being the very best in every arena we enter. Just as we connect people and places through our extensive network and award-winning service, this partnership will further our mission to connect dreams, cultures and the passion for football across continents.”
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, said: “The Ballon d’Or is more than an award – it’s a celebration of inspirational talents who deine football and its history. We are honoured to welcome Qatar Airways as the irst presenting partner of this iconic ceremony. Together, we celebrate not only a passion for the beautiful game and excellence without borders, but also the profound value of bringing the world closer together.”
The Ballon d’Or® is awarded annually by France Football magazine, honouring the world’s best players across the Men’s and Women’s game. The full set of nominees for the 2025 Ballon d’Or can be found here.
This partnership marks another chapter in Qatar Airways’ portfolio of high-profile global sports partnerships, including the likes of FIFA, UEFA Champions League and National Team Competitions, Formula 1®, Paris-Saint Germain (PSG), FC Internazionale Milano, AFC, Tennis Legend – Novak Djokovic, The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), MotoGP, the IRONMAN Triathlon Series, French Rugby Team – Section Paloise, The Brooklyn Nets NBA Team, and multiple other disciplines including Australian football, equestrian, motor racing, padel, squash, and tennis.
About Qatar Airways
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways won the ‘World’s Best Airline’ for an unprecedented ninth time at the 2025 World Airline Awards, managed by the international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax. Qatar Airways was previously named the World’s Best Airline in 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2024.
The airline continues to be synonymous with excellence, and has yet again received recognition for ‘World’s Best Business Class’, and ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge’. As the leading connector in the region, Qatar Airways has also been lauded with the ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’ title for the 13 time.
Qatar Airways currently lies to over 170 destinations worldwide, connecting through its Doha hub, Hamad International Airport, the ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for 11 consecutive years, as well as ‘World’s Best Airport Shopping’ for the third year in a row, as voted by Skytrax. Hamad International Airport has previously been named the ‘World’s Best Airport’ by Skytrax in 2021, 2022, and 2024.
Qatar Airways was the first Airline in the Middle East to be certified to the highest level of IATA’s Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) programme, based on recognised environmental management system principles (such as ISO 14001). As an inaugural signatory to the Buckingham Palace Declaration in March 2016, Qatar Airways became the first airline globally to be certified to the industry standard for the prevention of illegal wildlife trafficking in aviation.
