Qatar on Friday banned the sale of beer at FIFA World Cup stadiums, a sudden U-turn on a deal it made to secure the soccer tournament with only two days to go before the opening game.
The move was the latest sign of the tension of staging the event, which is not just a sports tournament, but also a month-long party, in the nation, where the sale of alcohol is heavily restricted.
It is also a significant blow to World Cup beer sponsor Budweiser and raised questions about how much control FIFA retains over its tournament.
When Qatar launched its bid to host the World Cup, the country agreed to FIFA’s requirements of selling alcohol in stadiums, but the details were only released in September, just 11 weeks before the first kick-off.
Friday’s statement from FIFA said that non-alcoholic beer would still be sold at the eight stadiums, while champagne, wine, whiskey and other alcohol would be served in the luxury hospitality areas of the arenas, which most ticket holders do not have access to.
They will be able to drink alcoholic beer in the evenings in what is known as the FIFA Fan Festival, a designated party area that also offers live music and activities.
Outside of the tournament-run areas, Qatar puts strict limits on the purchase and consumption of alcohol, although its sale is permitted in hotel bars.
“Following discussions between host-country authorities and FIFA, a decision has been made to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages on the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations and licensed venues, removing sales points of beer from ... stadium perimeters,” FIFA said in a statement.
Several fans took the decision in stride, with some saying that they knew the rules would be different in Qatar.
“We’re not here to drink beer,” said Adel Abou Hana, a fan from the US. “We’re here to watch the world-class soccer.”
However, Federico Ferraz lamented such short notice.
“I think it’s a bit bad because for me, beer and football go hand in hand,” said Ferraz, who was visiting from Portugal.
As the news broke, Budweiser wrote on Twitter: “Well, this is awkward...” without elaborating.
The post was later deleted.
The first game in the tournament is to be played tonight Taiwan time, with Qatar taking on Ecuador.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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