Bingoal
Enhancing live football engagement through gaming
The Opportunity
Bingoal was envisioned as a regionally grounded, socially-driven football prediction game designed to capitalize on the momentum of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The platform offered a new model for fan engagement—centered on predicting match outcomes, earning points, and competing on leaderboards—without introducing gambling mechanics or relying on traditional fantasy league structures. The concept emphasized accessibility, regional relevance, and a user experience tailored to both casual and devoted football fans across the Gulf and broader Middle East.
Engagement and Scope Definition
The project was initiated by a first-time founder who was referred through a trusted contact in Qatar’s startup community. The initial need was to bring structure and clarity to a promising but loosely defined idea. To achieve this, a comprehensive set of functional specifications was developed—detailing user flows, scoring logic, moderation tools, backend requirements, and overall system architecture. This foundational documentation translated the original concept into a formal product scope, enabling productive vendor engagement and de-risking early execution decisions.
Vendor Search and Evaluation
With the product scope in place, the next step was a structured global search to identify the most capable and cost-aligned development partner. More than two dozen app development firms across the U.S., Europe, South Asia, and the MENA region were interviewed and evaluated. Each firm was scored against a custom-built matrix that weighed factors such as startup experience, design maturity, cultural context, and team responsiveness. The output of this process was a decision-ready vendor recommendation report, complete with scoring justification and side-by-side profiles, which enabled confident and timely selection by the founder.
Transition to Execution
After the preferred vendor was selected, the onboarding process was led and coordinated to ensure mutual clarity around deliverables, timelines, and communication protocols. A Qatar-based product manager was later recruited from within the regional tech network to own day-to-day delivery and stakeholder coordination. This role served as the operational bridge between the development firm and the founder, preserving continuity while freeing up the founder to focus on business development, funding, and market partnerships.
Outcome and Strategic Value
Bingoal represents a unique entry in the sports app category, avoiding the saturation of fantasy leagues and gambling apps by offering a culturally attuned, socially engaging alternative. With a defined product strategy, carefully selected development partner, and experienced local product oversight, the project moved from concept to execution-ready in a matter of weeks.
This early work established the foundation for long-term success—built not only on technical delivery, but on rigorous planning, trusted leadership, and an ability to translate vision into executable reality within the context of Qatar’s emerging digital ecosystem.
