This study investigates how people who reside in Qatar (citizens and residents) perceive the country compared to international audiences the post–FIFA World Cup period. The analysis is informed by Simon Anholt’s Nation Brand Index (NBI), which conceptualises national reputation through six dimensions: people, governance, tourism, culture and heritage, investment and immigration, and exports. In addition, the study explores how these perceptions differ across selected demographic characteristics. Data were collected from 174 respondents residing in Qatar and analysed quantitatively. The results highlight three main findings. First, internal stakeholders generally hold very favourable views of Qatar’s nation brand, both overall and across all six dimensions, and these evaluations are consistently more positive than those reported by international audiences. The largest perception gaps were observed in the governance, people, and tourism dimensions. Second, despite these differences, a high degree of internal consensus was found, particularly regarding governance and people, suggesting substantial agreement among stakeholders in their assessments of Qatar’s national image. Third, perceptions of the nation brand differed significantly according to age and length of residence. Younger participants tended to evaluate Qatar less positively than older respondents, which may reflect differing expectations concerning economic opportunities and future development. Furthermore, Qatari nationals and individuals born in Qatar reported more favourable perceptions than long-term residents, underscoring the influence of place attachment and a stronger sense of belonging on nation brand evaluations.

Keywords

Nation branding, Qatar, Nation Brand Index, country image, public diplomacy, soft power.