It is now just 16 days until the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hosted in Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America, the world’s greatest sporting spectacle will see the great and good of football come together to determine the best national team on the planet. Naturally, there is a strong aviation angle to the tournament wherever it’s held, with passionate fans flying in from all across the globe.

This is something that many airlines have leant into heavily over the years, but few have been as prolific on this front as Qatar Airways. Despite the Middle Eastern nation not exactly having the greatest football pedigree, it hosted the last World Cup and has also qualified for this year’s edition. Now, Qatar Airways is capitalizing on football’s up-and-coming Middle Eastern popularity by revealing a new livery.

Let The Countdown Begin

Credit: Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways shared its new special livery with the world in a statement released yesterday. As seen in the photo above, the striking paint scheme has been applied to a Boeing 777-300ER that bears the registration A7-BEH. This is an apt choice for the World Cup, given that, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company, the 777-300ER is Qatar Airways’ second most numerous type on its US routes.

The bulk of the aircraft’s fuselage, as well as its engines, is painted in Qatar Airways’ trademark shade of burgundy, which transitions into a deep blue towards the rear. This color is also present on the tail, with the carrier’s logo offset against it in a bright shade of white. The rear of the jet also features the FIFA logo and the World Cup trophy. Qatar Airways explains that it has also made some internal modifications:

“The interior features bespoke cabin dressing inspired by the World Cup. (…) Following the tournament, the aircraft will continue to fly with both the special livery and cabin dressing to commemorate the event.”

Made In Ireland

Credit: Qatar Airways

Tracking data made available by Flightradar24 shows that Qatar Airways sent A7-BEH to the Republic of Ireland for its repaint. Indeed, the jet took off from its main hub at Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) at 10:31 PM local time on Sunday, May 3, 2026. After a grand total of seven hours and 32 minutes in the air, it touched down at Shannon Airport (SNN) in western Ireland at 4:03 AM the next day.

All in all, the interior and exterior modifications look to have taken around three weeks, with Qatar Airways having flown A7-BEH from Shannon back to Doha last night. After taking off at 11:10 PM yesterday, it landed at its hometown hub at around 8:15 AM this morning. It will certainly be interesting to see which route is blessed with the newly repainted Triple-Seven on its first flight with passengers on board.

According to present fleet data made available by Planespotters.net, A7-BEH is one of 57 examples of the Boeing 777-300ER that Qatar Airways currently has at its disposal. These jets have an average age of 13.1 years old, although A7-BEH is a little bit younger, clocking in at 10.3 years of age. It was delivered back in of March 2016, and also wore a 2022 World Cup sticker from October 2022 to March 2023.

Qatar Airways Has Close Ties With FIFA

Credit: Qatar Airways

It is no coincidence that Qatar Airways has devised a special livery for the 2026 World Cup. Indeed, the carrier actually serves as the official airline partner of the tournament, having established a “longstanding partnership with FIFA.” The carrier has also been keen to highlight “its continued role in connecting fans, teams, and global football communities worldwide” as part of this corporate arrangement.

In this vein, the carrier says that it “plays a leading role in global sport, connecting fans, teams, and destinations through its growing international network and award-winning travel experience.” Those hoping to catch a glimpse of this special livery are advised that Asia, Europe, and the US have been earmarked as key destinations for the aircraft, as Qatar Airways continues to count down to the World Cup.