Today, Friday, just a few hours before the start of the 2022 World Cup,
Qatar announces that the only place where fans will find drinks,
will be in specific spaces and at the FIFA Fan Festival.
A last-minute twist to the 2022 World Cup rules – FIFA announced today, the 18th, through an official statement that beer will not be sold in Qatar World Cup stadiums.
This announcement was made only now, two days before the start of the World Cup, which will take place this Sunday (20).
Remembering that this will be the first World Cup to be held in a Muslim, conservative country, which has strict controls on alcohol and whose consumption is prohibited in public.
“Following discussions between the host country authorities and FIFA, the decision was made to concentrate the sale of alcoholic beverages at the FIFA Fan Festival, at other fan destinations and licensed premises, removing beer outlets from perimeter of FIFA Stadiums. FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar,” a FIFA spokesperson said in an official statement.
Budweiser brand, title sponsor of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, owned by brewer AB InBev, will exclusively sell alcoholic beer within the ticket perimeter around each of the eight stadiums, and with times limited to three hours before and one hour after each game.
“More fans are coming from the Middle East and South Asia, where alcohol doesn’t play as big a role in the culture,” the source said.
“The thinking is that, for many fans, the presence of alcohol would not make for an enjoyable experience.”
alcohol still will be served within the reception areas of the stadium, added the source.
Budweiser will sell its non-alcoholic beer throughout the stadium, according to the statement.
