Qatar has four official public holidays: National Sports Day, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and Qatar National Day. In 2027, National Sports Day falls on Tuesday, 9 February, Eid al-Fitr is expected on 9 or 10 March, Eid al-Adha is expected on 16 or 17 May, and Qatar National Day falls on Saturday, 18 December. The two Eid dates depend on moon sighting and will be confirmed closer to each holiday.
This guide lists every Qatar public holiday for 2027, the one holiday left in 2026, and how holiday entitlements differ between the private sector and government, so employers and HR teams can plan leave, shifts and payroll for the year.
Next public holiday in Qatar
| Next holiday | Date | Who gets the day off |
|---|---|---|
| Qatar National Day | Friday, 18 December 2026 | Government, banks and the private sector; private-sector staff are generally owed a day in lieu as it falls on a Friday |
After National Day, the next holiday is National Sports Day on Tuesday, 9 February 2027.
List of public holidays in Qatar 2027
| Holiday | Date (2027) | Day | Private sector (Labour Law) |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Sports Day | 9 February | Tuesday | 1 paid working day |
| Eid al-Fitr | 9 or 10 March (expected) | Tuesday or Wednesday | 3 paid working days |
| Eid al-Adha | 16 or 17 May (expected); Arafat Day the day before | Sunday or Monday | 3 paid working days (Arafat Day is part of the government break only) |
| Qatar National Day | 18 December | Saturday | 1 paid working day |
Note: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha follow the Hijri (lunar) calendar. The dates above are based on astronomical calculations; the Amiri Diwan announces government holiday dates and the Ministry of Labour announces private-sector dates a few days before each Eid.
Qatar National Day 2026: the last holiday of this year
Qatar National Day falls on Friday, 18 December 2026. It marks the founding of the state by Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani and is celebrated with parades, fireworks and cultural events at venues such as Darb Al Saai.
Because 18 December is a Friday this year, private-sector employers should plan for a day off in lieu, since the Labour Law counts official holidays as working days. The government return-to-work date is announced by the Amiri Diwan a few days before the holiday, and the Ministry of Labour confirms private-sector arrangements around the same time.
Qatar public holidays 2027: holiday-by-holiday guide
National Sports Day: Tuesday, 9 February 2027
National Sports Day is held on the second Tuesday of February to promote physical activity, and Qatar is one of the few countries with a public holiday dedicated to sport. It is a paid holiday for both government and private-sector employees, and many organisations run sports events for staff on the day.
In 2027, it is expected to fall on the second day of Ramadan, so reduced Ramadan working hours will already apply that week.
Eid al-Fitr: expected 9 or 10 March 2027
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, which is expected to begin on 8 February 2027. If the Shawwal crescent is sighted on the evening of 8 March, Eid falls on Tuesday, 9 March; if not, it falls on Wednesday, 10 March.
Private-sector employees get 3 paid working days. Government entities follow a longer break running from 28 Ramadan to the end of 4 Shawwal, expected to fall roughly between 7 and 13 March 2027, with staff likely returning on Sunday, 14 March.
Arafat Day and Eid al-Adha: expected 15–17 May 2027
Arafat Day (9 Dhul Hijjah) is expected on Saturday, 15 May or Sunday, 16 May 2027, with Eid al-Adha the following day, on Sunday, 16 May or Monday, 17 May. Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's devotion and is marked with prayers, family gatherings and charity.
The government break runs from 9 to the end of 13 Dhul Hijjah, which works out to around five days in mid-May. Private-sector employees get 3 paid working days, with exact dates announced by the Ministry of Labour.
Qatar National Day: Saturday, 18 December 2027
National Day falls on a Saturday in 2027, the second year running that it lands on the weekend.
Private sector vs government holidays in Qatar
Qatar runs two holiday frameworks. Private-sector employees covered by the Labour Law (Law No. 14 of 2004) have a fixed number of paid days, while ministries and public bodies follow the holiday periods set by Amiri decision. This is why government Eid breaks run from five days to over a week, while private companies give three working days.
| Holiday | Private sector (Labour Law Art. 78) | Government and public bodies |
|---|---|---|
| Eid al-Fitr | 3 paid working days | 28 Ramadan to end of 4 Shawwal |
| Eid al-Adha | 3 paid working days | 9 to end of 13 Dhul Hijjah |
| Qatar National Day | 1 paid working day | 18 December |
| National Sports Day | 1 paid working day | Second Tuesday of February |
| Employer-chosen days | 3 paid days, set by the employer | Not applicable |
| Total | 11 paid holiday days a year | Fixed by Amiri decision; exact dates announced before each holiday |
For government entities, weekends that fall inside a holiday period are included in it, and a single working day sandwiched between two official holidays is also treated as a holiday.
Bank holidays in Qatar 2027
Banks and financial institutions regulated by Qatar Central Bank (QCB) observe two extra days that are not public holidays for anyone else: New Year's Day (Friday, 1 January 2027) and the March Bank Holiday (first Sunday of March, expected 7 March 2027). The QCB Governor also sets bank closure dates for each Eid separately from the government announcement, so check QCB notices before scheduling payments around Eid.
Planning for Qatar public holidays 2027: what HR teams should do now
- Set up the 2027 holiday calendar with placeholders for Eid. Load the fixed dates now (9 February and 18 December) and add expected Eid dates, then adjust once the Ministry of Labour confirms them.
- Decide your three employer-chosen holidays. The Labour Law lets employers set three paid holiday days themselves. Announcing them early helps employees plan annual leave.
- Plan for holidays on rest days. Decide how you will grant days in lieu for National Day 2026 and 2027 and tell employees before December.
- Budget for holiday work. Employees who work on an official holiday are owed premium pay and/or a substitute rest day under the Labour Law, so set up shift rotas and overtime rules ahead of each Eid.
- Adjust hours for Ramadan. Working hours are capped at 36 a week during Ramadan, which is expected to run from 8 February to 8 or 9 March 2027. Update shift patterns and attendance rules for those weeks.
- Time WPS salary runs around Eid. Bank closures around each Eid can delay salary transfers, so plan payroll cut-offs so that WPS payments land before the break.
With Zimyo, HR admins add Qatar's official holidays to the company calendar, so they show on every employee's dashboard. You can create compensatory leave types for holiday work, assign Ramadan shifts in attendance management software, and run WPS-compliant salaries through Zimyo's payroll software. Plans are priced in QAR on Zimyo's Qatar pricing page.
Public holidays in other GCC countries
Running teams across the region? See the full list of public holidays in Saudi Arabia 2027 and public holidays in Egypt 2027.
FAQs on public holidays in Qatar
When is the next public holiday in Qatar?
Qatar National Day on Friday, 18 December 2026, followed by National Sports Day on Tuesday, 9 February 2027.
How many public holidays does Qatar have?
Qatar has four official occasions: National Sports Day, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and Qatar National Day. Under Article 78 of the Labour Law, private-sector employees get 11 paid holiday days a year: 3 for each Eid, 1 for National Day, 1 for National Sports Day and 3 chosen by the employer.
Is the Prophet's birthday a public holiday in Qatar?
No. The Prophet's birthday (Mawlid) is not an official public holiday in Qatar, so offices and private businesses stay open unless an employer chooses to give the day off.
Is New Year's Day a holiday in Qatar?
Only for banks and financial institutions. 1 January is a bank holiday set by Qatar Central Bank; it is not an official public holiday for ministries or the wider private sector.
What happens if a public holiday falls on a Friday or Saturday in Qatar?
For private-sector employees under the Labour Law, holidays are counted as working days, so a holiday that lands on an employee's rest day is generally compensated with a day off in lieu. Qatar National Day falls on a weekend in both 2026 and 2027.
Do employees get paid extra for working on a public holiday in Qatar?
Yes. If an employee has to work on an official holiday, the Labour Law's rules for work on rest days apply, which means premium pay and/or a substitute day off. The Ministry of Labour usually restates this in its holiday announcements.
Are the 2027 Eid dates in Qatar confirmed?
Not yet. Eid al-Fitr is expected on 9 or 10 March 2027 and Eid al-Adha on 16 or 17 May 2027, based on astronomical calculations. Final dates depend on moon sighting and are announced by the Amiri Diwan and the Ministry of Labour shortly before each Eid.
