Qatar Holidays List 2026

This calendar lists all 14 notable dates in Qatar's 2026 year so you can plan leave and payroll at a glance. Of these, 6 are official public holidays and paid days off under the Labour Law (National Sports Day, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and Qatar National Day), 2 are bank and financial-sector holidays, 2 are cultural observances, and 4 are astronomical season markers. The Type column shows exactly which dates are paid days off and which simply affect operations. Public holidays are governed by Qatar's Labour Law (Law No. 14 of 2004), with paid-holiday entitlements under Article 78 and holiday-work pay under Article 75, and all Islamic dates are confirmed by official moon sighting (Qatar Calendar House) closer to the time.

Date Day Holiday Holiday Type
1 Jan 2026 Thursday New Year's Day Bank holiday (financial sector)
10 Feb 2026 Tuesday National Sports Day Public holiday (National)
18 Feb 2026 Wednesday Ramadan Start (reduced 6-hour working day) Observance
1 Mar 2026 Sunday March Bank Holiday Bank holiday (financial sector)
20 Mar 2026 Friday Eid al-Fitr, subject to confirmation (lunar) Public holiday (Religious)
20 Mar 2026 Friday March Equinox Season
21 Mar 2026 Saturday Eid al-Fitr Holiday, subject to confirmation (lunar) Public holiday (Religious)
27 May 2026 Wednesday Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice), subject to confirmation (lunar) Public holiday (Religious)
28 May 2026 Thursday Eid al-Adha Holiday, subject to confirmation (lunar) Public holiday (Religious)
21 Jun 2026 Sunday June Solstice Season
23 Sep 2026 Wednesday September Equinox Season
18 Dec 2026 Friday Qatar National Day Public holiday (National)
21 Dec 2026 Monday December Solstice Season
31 Dec 2026 Thursday New Year's Eve Observance

Note: Only the 6 rows marked "Public holiday" are paid days off under the Qatar Labour Law. New Year's Day and the early-March bank holiday are observed by banks and financial institutions only (set by Qatar Central Bank), while equinoxes and solstices are astronomical markers, not days off.

Dates may change based on official announcements.

How Qatar Holidays Impact Payroll and Leave Management?

Qatar's calendar is built around a small number of national days and two major Eid periods, with Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha each clustering several days off and often bridging into the Friday and Saturday weekend. During Eid especially, it feels like a grand celebration: people are on leave, travelling, and enjoying personal time. All of this brings changes in attendance, increased leave requests, and varied working arrangements which impact payroll accuracy and leave processes for both employers and employees.

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Frequently Asked Questions

This 2026 calendar lists 14 key dates, but only 6 are official public holidays and paid days off under Article 78 of the Qatar Labour Law (Law No. 14 of 2004): National Sports Day, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and Qatar National Day. The others are bank and financial-sector holidays (New Year's Day, the early-March bank holiday), cultural observances (Ramadan start, New Year's Eve) and astronomical season markers (equinoxes and solstices). For the private sector the paid public holidays add up to around 8 working days once each Eid is counted at its 3-day statutory minimum, rising to roughly 10 to 12 with public-sector Eid extensions and in-lieu days.