Doha: Qatar’s top flight Qatar Stars League (QSL) has been rebranded as the Ooredoo Stars League, following a landmark partnership between the QSL and the telecommunication company.

Ahead of the launch of the 2024-2025 season, the new title agreement was signed at a ceremony held in Lusail yesterday in the presence of top QSL and Ooredoo officials.

Among those who were present at the partnership unveiling ceremony were Ooredoo Qatar CEO Sheikh Ali bin Jabor Al Thani, Qatar Football Association and QSL President Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain.

The QSL President expressed his gratitude towards Ooredoo for its unwavering support and cooperation which is now in it’s 53rd season.

“Today, we are delighted to announce the signing of the sponsorship agreement between QSL and Ooredoo. This agreement also led to officially rebranding the football season as the “Ooredoo Stars League,” Al Buenain said.

“We are honoured to enter into this strategic partnership with one of the leading telecommunication companies in Qatar and internationally. Their remarkable success and support for sports and athletes make us proud to be associated with them,” Al Buenain said.

“We are thrilled to embark on this new journey with Ooredoo, a company that not only stands as a titan in the global communications arena but also as a stalwart supporter of sports and athletes,” he remarked while noting that the partnership aligns with QSL’s vision to elevate the quality of Qatar’s football.

Ooredoo CEO Sheikh Ali highlighted the significance of the agreement as a major milestone in Qatar’s National Vision in sports.

“Ooredoo’s backing of the QSL underscores our deep-seated commitment to nurturing talent and bolstering sports development. It is an opportunity for us to contribute to building a bright future for sports in general and football in particular,” Sheikh Ali said.

QSL Executive Director of Marketing, Sales and Communication Hassan Rabiah Al Kuwari said the ambitions are high ahead of the new season.

“After the great experience we all had last season, especially with the strong competition, and the level of football in the new Ooredoo Stars League, our ambitions are very high. We are raising the bar, and the expectation is to see another great season with intense competition among the clubs.

 “We are expecting a few new players to join us, and we hope that the fans will return in even greater numbers following the significant progress in attendance last season, with the average being double what we had before. We also aim to launch a full plan for fan engagement and announce the associated initiatives and prizes to ensure another great year,” Al Kuwari told The Peninsula on the sidelines of the ceremony.

“We have been the Asian champions for two consecutive editions, and this is no coincidence. All the players play in Doha, a fact which indicates that we have a strong league. I’ve been hearing about many stars and negotiations happening between the clubs for the upcoming season, and I believe we will have another fantastic season,” Al Kuwari added.

QSL also announced Conext 24, presented by Adidas, as the official ball for the new season. QSL is considered as one of the first leagues to use this new ball.